LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 his special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Peter Hain: All travel by Special Advisers is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code. The information requested is as follows:
	
		(a)
		
			 Date of travel Destination Cost (£) 
		
		
			 17 November 2003 Birmingham 80.00 
			 26 January 2004 Birmingham 111.00 
			 23 February 2004 Reading 78.00 
			 8 March 2004 Cardiff 156.00 
			 Total — 425.00 
		
	
	The visit on 17 November to Birmingham was made in connection with my speech there on the 'Future of Europe'. The three other domestic visits were made in connection with the outreach work of the Modernisation Committee inquiry into engaging with the public.
	(b) No overseas visits were undertaken by my Special Advisers in 2003–04.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether special advisers for whom he is responsible have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Peter Hain: Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers for whom he is responsible between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House whether departmental special advisers for whom he is responsible have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997.

Peter Hain: Any speeches made by special advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Solicitor-General how many departmental mobile telephones were used by the Law Officers, special advisers and officials in her Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Harriet Harman: Details of the use of mobile telephones in the Law Officers' Departments are given in the table. 1998 is the earliest year for which information is available for the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, Crown Prosecution Service and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and on cost for Treasury Solicitor's Department. The information on costs covers the cost of equipment and call and access (line rental) charges. CPS does not hold details centrally on the numbers or costs of 'pay-as-you-talk' telephones and 'top-up' cards which are purchased at CPS Area level.
	
		Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers
		
			  Number Cost p.a.(£) Number lost/stolen Replacement cost (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 2,853 0 0 0 
			 1999–2000 9 2,475 0 0 
			 2000–01 7 2,517 0 0 
			 2001–02 9 3,294 0 0 
			 2002–03 10 4,419 0 0 
			 2003–04 16 8,231 1 0 
			 2004–05(1) 17 5,451 0 0 
		
	
	(1) figures for year to date
	
		Crown Prosecution Service and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
		
			  Number Cost p.a.(£) Number lost/stolen Replacement cost/value (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 131 (2)698 0 0 
			 1999–2000 223 (2)92,182 0 0 
			 2000–01 280 62,238 0 0 
			 2001–02 346 77,356 1 170 
			 2002–03 428 182,050 4 600 
			 2003–04 494 200,784 6 900 
			 2004–05 (3)519 (4)90,818 17 1,700 
		
	
	(2) some 1998–99 rental and call charges fell for payment in 1999–2000 but not possible to identify separately
	(3) active number as at November 2004
	(4) cost to August 2004
	
		Serious Fraud Office
		
			  Number Cost p.a. (£) Number lost/stolen Replacement cost (£) 
		
		
			 1997 15 11,870 0 0 
			 1998 17 4,479 1 65 
			 1999 17 6,650 0 0 
			 2000 24 7,242 2 130 
			 2001 27 8,024 3 195 
			 2002 26 8,359 4 60 
			 2003 26 6,146 2 40 
			 2004(5) 28 5,092 0 0 
		
	
	(5) figures for year to date
	
		Treasury Solicitor's Department
		
			  Number Cost p.a. (£) Number lost/stolen Replacement cost (£) 
		
		
			 1997 11 not available 0 0 
			 1998 12 7,182 1 95 
			 1999 17 8,981 0 0 
			 2000 20 10,122 0 0 
			 2001 20 7,869 6 1,044 
			 2002 26 12,735 3 792 
			 2003 22 13,822 3 750 
			 2004(6) 30 14,100 1 100 
		
	
	(6) figures for year to date

TRANSPORT

Car Emissions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much funding has been provided to local authorities to enable them to conduct random roadside emissions tests as introduced in regulations in July 2002;
	(2)  how many cars have failed random roadside emissions tests in each year since 1997; how many fixed penalties have been issued to drivers whose cars have failed random roadside emissions tests; and how many other enforcement actions have been taken against drivers whose cars have failed random roadside emissions tests;
	(3)  how many vehicles other than cars have failed random roadside emissions tests in each year since 1997; how many fixed penalties have been issued to the owners of these vehicles in the same period; and how many other enforcement actions have been taken against the owners of these vehicles in the same period.

David Jamieson: £1,966,800 has been allocated to local authorities to carry out roadside emissions checks under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002.
	A pilot scheme allowing seven local authorities to carry out vehicle emissions tests took place between February 1998 and January 1999. Checks were also carried out by local authorities in the financial year 2003–04. The following table shows the number of cars that failed the check and the enforcement action taken.
	
		
			  1998–99 2003–04 
		
		
			 Number of failures 2,336 2,100 
			 Failure rate (percentage) 11 7 
			 Fixed penalty 985 (7)— 
			 Advised 1,351 (7)— 
		
	
	(7) Unknown
	Relatively few fixed penalties have been issued as the primary purpose of the local authority emissions checking scheme is not to generate revenue but to encourage motorists to regularly service and maintain their cars.
	The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) also carry out emissions checks on all vehicles including cars.
	VOSA do not issue fixed penalties. Instead, vehicles which fail a roadside emissions check are issued with a prohibition. This prohibits the vehicle from being moved from a date specified in the prohibition notice if the emissions levels are not rectified.
	The following table shows the numbers of prohibitions (Prb) issued for each category of vehicle failing a VOSA roadside emissions check since 1997and the failure rate as a percentage of all vehicles checked.
	
		
			  Cars Taxis LGV 
			  Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) 
		
		
			 2003–04 2,555 (4.4) 167 (7.6) 363 (4.4) 
			 2002–03 2,670 (4.6) 138 (5.8) 411 (4.1) 
			 2001–02 2,740 (4.5) 98 (5.1) 382 (3.5) 
			 2000–01 2,536 (4.4) 76 (3.3) 254 (3.0) 
			 1999–2000 1,762 (2.2) 197 (5.3) 220 (1.8) 
			 1998–99 2,419 (3.8) 196 (6.4) 339 (3.6) 
			 1997–98 3,146 (4.1) 347 (8.6) 598 (4–8) 
		
	
	
		
			  HGV PSV 
			  Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) 
		
		
			 2003–04 36 (0.5) 16 (0.3) 
			 2002–03 59 (0.8) 27 (0.5) 
			 2001–02 78 (0.8) 40 (0.6) 
			 2000–01 101 (1.0) 36 (0.5) 
			 1999–2000 123 (0.8) 45 (0.5) 
			 1998–99 203 (1.7) 99 (1.2) 
			 1997–98 324 (2.5) 198 (1.8)

Departmental Telephones

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated cost to his Department is of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic numbers and (b) international numbers.

Charlotte Atkins: Automatic logs are kept of all calls and regular reviews carried out. From those reviews there is little evidence of unauthorised use by members of staff. When any have been identified the cost has been recovered, which has been relatively low (£10 or less) records of which are not kept centrally.

Local Transport Plans (South West Region)

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each proposal in the south west region awaiting a decision for final approval as part of the local transport plan, broken down by local transport authority.

Charlotte Atkins: The only major local transport scheme that was awaiting a decision for full approval in the south west region was Somerset county council's North West Taunton Package. The council were informed on 2 December that this approval had been granted.

Road Improvements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road schemes have been added to the Targeted Programme of Improvements since 1 June.

David Jamieson: holding answer 6 December 2004
	There have been no road schemes added to the Targeted Programme of Improvements since 1 June 2004.

Road Improvements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road schemes are to be considered for inclusion in the Targeted Programme of Improvements between 1 December 2004 and 1 May 2005.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency has been asked to prepare submissions for consideration by the Secretary of State for Transport for possible inclusion in the Targeted Programme of Improvements of the following schemes:
	M1 Junction 30 to Junction 42 widening
	M11 Junction 8 to 9 widening
	M25 junction 28/A12 Brook Street interchange
	M27 Junction 3 to Junction 4 widening
	M27 Junction 11 to Junction 12 climbing lanes
	M60 Junction 24, Denton Roundabout
	M62 Junction 25 to Junction 28 widening.

Stourport-on-Severn Relief Road

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Government funding will be made available for the Stourport-on-Severn relief road.

Charlotte Atkins: We have yet to receive a bid for funding for this scheme from Worcestershire county council.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with consultation on the draft Animal Welfare Bill.

Ben Bradshaw: The initial stage of the Animal Welfare Bill review involved a public consultation which ran between January and April 2002 to which Defra received some 2,500 replies. A copy of the analysis of the consultation can be found on the Defra website, www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare. Between October 2002 and January 2003 Defra officials organised some 19 stakeholder meetings at which approximately a hundred interest groups were represented.
	Since the stakeholder meetings, officials have organised working groups made up of a range of interested parties which have helped to inform our work on proposed secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Bill. The work of these groups on secondary legislation will continue should the Bill be enacted and draft secondary legislation will be subject to public consultation in the normal way.
	In addition to public consultation carried out by my Department, between July and October 2004 the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee conducted pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill and this included inviting interested parties to provide written and oral evidence on the draft legislation. EFRA hope to publish their report on the draft Bill shortly.
	All told, about four hundred organisations have been consulted on the draft Bill. A Bill will be introduced when Parliamentary time is available.

Biodiversity

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact that termination of the EU Life Nature fund would have on member states with smaller national budgets but high levels of biodiversity.

Ben Bradshaw: It is not yet clear to what degree the opportunities provided by the outgoing EU LIFE Nature fund will feature in the EU's 2007/2013 financial perspective. Along with other member states the UK has asked for clarification of the scope of the proposed LIFE+ Regulation and other EU co-funding instruments.

Biodiversity

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will support continuation of a dedicated EU biodiversity fund for measures ineligible for support under other EU instruments.

Ben Bradshaw: At Environment Council on 14 October 2004, the UK recognised the value provided by the outgoing LIFE Nature Regulation for innovation and best practice activities. The Secretary of State called for the new LIFE+ proposals, together with other relevant instruments, to continue to provide similar funding opportunities.

Biodiversity

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of EU Life Nature funding was received in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1993.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 1993 the UK has been successful in securing €44,553,322 (£31,221,669) match funding under the EU LIFE Nature programme. Of this amount the following sums were allocated as set out in the table to projects wholly or predominantly based in each country.
	
		€
		
			  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland 
		
		
			 1993 — — — — 
			 1994 300,000 2,367,500 — — 
			 1995 1,104,400 — 393,000 — 
			 1996 4,335,078 — — — 
			 1997 3,965,722 1,703,258 — — 
			 1998 233,228 502,588 — — 
			 1999 3,358,388 — — — 
			 2000 4,639,824 5,569,115 — — 
			 2001 — — — — 
			 2002 7,596,203 3,677,720 — — 
			 2003 921,751 — — — 
			 2004 1,537,639 2,347,908 — — 
			 Total 27,992,233 16,168,089 393,000 0 
		
	
	It has not been possible to confirm precisely the amounts received by the successful projects: (1) because some projects are still ongoing; and (2) minor variations to allocations are sometimes negotiated between the European Commission and the applicant at the end of a project to reflect work actually completed.

Biomass Task Force

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Biomass Task Force will report to her Department; and when her Department will report the results of the Biomass Task Force to the House.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the terms of reference of the Biomass Task Force the final report to Government are due in October 2005. Copies will be placed at that time in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what prevalence of bovine TB has been detected in culled deer in studies undertaken during the last 20 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Accurate prevalence data for bovine TB in deer across the UK is not available. Statistics on the culling of wild deer are not collected centrally and farmed and park deer herds are not systematically tested for TB.
	An official investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food into the prevalence of "Mycobacterium bovis" infection in wild deer began in the south-west of England in 1984. The value of the information from this investigation is limited because (i) it is unclear how many of the fallow, red and sika deer that were examined during the survey came from truly wild populations as opposed to deer parks and farms, (ii) some infected individuals were not identified by species and (iii) the criteria for examination of material from deer carcasses changed during 1988, so that only material from animals with visible lesions was subsequently submitted for laboratory examination.
	For details of the Defra funded research, carried out by the Central Science Laboratory on isolating TB in deer as well as other mammalian wildlife species (excluding badgers) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 October 2004, Official Report, column 410W.

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what research her Department has commissioned into the effectiveness of the examination of deer at abattoirs in identifying cases of bovine TB infection in venison intended for human consumption;
	(2)  how many incidents of bovine TB in (a) farmed and (b) park deer have been notified as a result of identification at abattoirs in each of the past five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Carcases of farmed deer slaughtered for venison production are subject to full red meat inspection procedures by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended). In addition, the Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, require that wild and park deer destined for export to other European Union member states for human consumption must undergo post-mortem inspection by the MHS.
	Procedures for the post-mortem examination of deer, and the requirement to notify the State Veterinary Service of carcases suspected of being affected by TB, are set out in the MHS Operations Manual. Compliance with the requirements specified in the MHS Operations Manual is subject to annual audit. No research has been commissioned by Defra to look more closely at the effectiveness of post-mortem procedures in identifying TB in deer destined for human consumption.
	Most cases of TB in park deer are notified by hunters and gamekeepers, whereas most cases of TB in farmed deer are identified following notification by the MHS. Specific data is not available for the number of notifications of suspect TB cases made at abattoirs. However, the number of park and farmed deer herds in which bovine TB was detected by post-mortem examination and confirmed by culture since 1999 is given in the following table:
	
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 (8)2004 
		
		
			 Farmed deer herds 0 1 0 1 1 0 
			 Park deer herds 1 1 0 2 0 2 
			 Total 1 2 0 3 1 2 
		
	
	(8) Provisional data for January-June

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) farmed and (b) park deer herds have tested positive for bovine TB in each of the last five years; and how many of those were confirmed by culture or post mortem examination.

Ben Bradshaw: There is no statutory routine testing programme for bovine TB in farmed or park deer. The numbers of farmed deer tested ante-mortem are insignificant. Surveillance of TB in deer is based largely on detection of visible TB lesions at post-mortem inspection. To confirm a report of bovine TB in a deer herd a positive laboratory culture is required in addition to visible lesions.
	The number of park and farmed deer herds in which bovine TB was detected by post-mortem examination and confirmed by culture since 1999 is given in the table.
	
		
			  Farmed deer herds Park deer herds Total 
		
		
			 1999 0 1 1 
			 2000 1 1 2 
			 2001 0 0 0 
			 2002 1 2 3 
			 2003 1 0 1 
			 2004(9) 0 2 2 
		
	
	(9) Provisional data for January–June

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies her Department has commissioned into the effectiveness of the examination of deer by (a) stalkers and (b) butchers in identifying cases of bovine TB in culled deer intended for human consumption.

Ben Bradshaw: Carcases of farmed deer slaughtered for venison production are subject to full red meat inspection procedures by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended).
	Under the Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, wild and park deer meat intended for export to other EU Member States must also undergo post mortem inspection by the MHS. However, if destined for the UK domestic market and third countries, venison from wild or park deer falls under the umbrella of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995. These provide for overall supervision of wild game meat production by the Environmental Health Department of the relevant Local (Food) Authority, but require no official meat inspection at all. Some plant operators producing for third country export, or the domestic market, choose to be licensed under the more demanding Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995.
	The present arrangements put the onus on the person carrying out the evisceration to detect and report any signs of TB. No studies have been commissioned into the effectiveness of these procedures in identifying cases of bovine TB. The risk of humans contracting bovine TB from meat is considered to be very low.
	A new EC Regulation coming into force on 1 January 2006 will require persons who hunt wild game with a view to placing it on the market for human consumption to have sufficient knowledge of the pathology of wild game and on the production and handling of wild game and wild game meat after hunting. Training will have to be provided to the satisfaction of the Competent Authority (Food Standards Agency).

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proportion of bovine TB infection in (a) farmed, (b) park and (c) wild deer entering the human food chain that remains undetected by statutory reporting procedures.

Ben Bradshaw: Present arrangements require that suspect tuberculosis lesions in deer carcases be notified to the Divisional Veterinary Manager (DVM) of the State Veterinary Service. The Meat Hygiene Service is responsible for reporting suspect lesions in farmed deer, and wild and park deer destined for export to other EU member states. For wild and park deer destined for the domestic market or Third Countries, responsibility for notifying the DVM rests with the person carrying out the gralloch. No assessment has been made of the proportion of bovine TB infection remaining undetected by the current statutory reporting procedures.
	The risk of humans contracting bovine TB from meat is considered to be very low. Within abattoirs the affected areas of carcases are removed as a public health protection measure. Any remaining "Mycobacterium bovis" (the causative organism of bovine TB) can be de-activated by thorough cooking.

Bovine TB

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had regarding bovine TB infection in deer with her counterparts in the devolved administrations.

Ben Bradshaw: There have been occasional meetings involving officials from Defra, the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, the Welsh Assembly Government Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland, at which matters associated with TB in deer have been discussed.

Bright Report

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Department's response to the recently published Bright Report on genetically modified organisms; and how this will inform policy on co-existence.

Elliot Morley: The BRIGHT project (Botanical and Rotational Implications of Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerance) was an independent research trial run by a consortium of academic and industry partners, with part-sponsorship from Defra and the Scottish Executive.
	We have referred the BRIGHT report to the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and we will consider it in the light of their advice. The results of the project do not have any particular implications in respect of co-existence between farms. But they do confirm that it may be important to control oilseed rape volunteers where a farmer wants to grow non-GM oilseed rape in a field previously sown with a GM variety.

CAP Reforms

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how she plans to monitor the impact of the guidance issued by the Tenancy Reform Industry Group on landlord/tenant aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy reforms from January 2005.

Alun Michael: The guidance note for landlords and tenants on CAP reform produced by the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, which was issued in mid November, has been well received by the industry. We hope that all parties will take into account the advice provided by the Group when reaching decisions on issues relating to CAP reform.
	Defra will monitor the impact of the guidance note by maintaining its close relationship with the industry organisations represented on the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, in particular the Tenant Farmers Association, the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. We will work with these organisations to understand the experience of their membership. The information will be collated and shared with all members of the Group.
	Defra has also invited tenders for research to be carried out during 2005 and 2006 on the potential impacts of CAP reform on the diversification activities of tenant farmers in England. While the research is intended primarily to focus on the effects of CAP reform in opening up opportunities for farm diversification by tenant farmers, the specification for the project also covers investigation of the wider impact of CAP reform on the landlord/tenant relationship.

Conservation Areas

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the consultation on the designation of (a) Bolton Fell Moss and (b) Solway Moss as special areas of conservation to be concluded.

Ben Bradshaw: The public consultation raised scientific objections about the candidature of Solway Moss and Bolton Fell Moss, in particular the composition of the topography. Given the complex nature of the objections raised, it is not possible to give a definite date for their resolution and subsequent conclusion of the consultation.

Contaminated Sites

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has received from the Environment Agency in respect of the number of determinations of sites as contaminated under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Elliot Morley: As of the end of October, 73 formal determinations of land as contaminated land under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 had been notified in respect of England.

Dairy Industry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what discussions she has had with the dairy industry on the impact of increased production costs on dairy farmers.

Alun Michael: Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy industry, most recently at the Dairy Supply Chain Forum on 24 November. Ministers are aware of the current concerns about increased costs for producers and processors.

Departmental Budget

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the resources that have been allocated under each departmental heading and subheading in the 2004 departmental report following the Spending Review 2004 for each year to 2007–08.

Alun Michael: At present, final internal management decisions (following the Spending Review 2004) on budgets, for 2006–07 and 2007–08, plus revisions to 2005–06, are still being made. The next Departmental Report due to be published in spring 2005, will set out information on budgets up to 2007–08 and show how they are allocated to deliver the department's functions and objectives. The Report will also reflect any organisational changes which have taken place over the last year.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: As part of its preparations for implementing the Gershon value for money agenda in Defra, Pareto or detailed expenditure distribution analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services is now being undertaken, and will be made available publicly in due course. The analysis will define expenditure on accountancy services as a proportion of departmental expenditure on professional services.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on energy costs incurred by her Department in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: Figures for costs alone can be misleading if not placed within the wider context of unit price changes, areas occupied and changes in actual consumption. Increases or decreases in unit charges and area occupied can mask efforts to improve energy efficiency. It is also useful to separate costs of electricity and heating fuels.
	Energy costs for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04 are given in table l as follows, together with the corresponding consumption data and average fuel prices: figures are given separately for electricity and heating fuels, as well as for the total energy.
	
		Table 1: Energy costs, consumption and average prices
		
			  Electricity Heating fuels Total energy 
		
		
			 Costs (£M/y)
			 2002–03 2.58 1.57 4.15 
			 2003–04 2.36 1.62 3.98 
			 Percentage change -9 3 -4 
			 
			 Consumption (M kWh/y)   
			 2002–03 51.67 111.33 163.00 
			 2003–04 51.36 110.29 161.65 
			 Percentage change -1 -1 -1 
			 
			 Average price (p/kWh)   
			 2002–03 5.00 1.41 2.55 
			 2003–04 4.60 1.47 2.46 
			 Percentage change -8 4 -3 
		
	
	Electricity costs have reduced by 9 per cent., following a corresponding decrease in average price, and a 1 per cent. reduction in consumption. Heating fuel costs have risen by 3 per cent. because of an increase in price (4 per cent.) offset by a 1 per cent. drop in consumption.
	Table 2 as follows shows that despite a small decrease in floor area the Department's electricity consumption per square metre has increased. This is partly due to additional work being carried out in its laboratories and consumption of heating fuels per square metre has increased by 1 per cent., for similar reasons. Increasing use of IT and moves to open plan working, leading to higher staff occupation rates per square metre and therefore higher IT and air conditioning loads, are also thought to be contributory factors to increased electricity consumption per square meter.
	
		Table 2: Floor area, consumption per square metre
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 Percentage change 
		
		
			 Floor area ('000 m2) 385 378 -2 
			 Electricity/m2 (kWh/m2) 134 136 1 
			 Heating fuel/m2 (kWh/m2) 289 292 1 
			 Energy/m2 (kWh/m2) 424 427 1

Departmental Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in her Department.

Alun Michael: In line with Cabinet Office guidance, Defra completed an Equal Pay Review and submitted this together with an action plan to Cabinet Office in April 2003. The review covered core-Defra and two of its agencies, Pesticides Safety Directorate and Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for which the core-Department has pay remit negotiating responsibility.
	The review found that there were no significant pay gaps within the Department provided that Defra's multi-year pay settlement was fully rolled out for future years up to and including 2005/06. Defra is now in the third year of the four-year settlement.
	Senior managers will be considering the implications of Defra's Equal Pay Review Action Plan in conjunction with developing new pay arrangements for Defra for 2006 and beyond, following the end of the current multi-year pay settlement.
	The position with regard to Defra's agencies is as follows:
	Rural Payments Agency
	The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) submitted an Equal Pay Review and action plan to Cabinet Office in 2003 in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines. A further Equal Pay Review has now been completed together with a revised action plan. This review and implications of the action plan on RPA pay systems is currently being considered by senior managers and the Trade Unions.
	Central Science Laboratory
	The Central Science Laboratory completed its Equal Pay Review in April 2003 and the resultant action plan was submitted to the Cabinet Office in May 2003. No significant pay gaps were identified as a result of gender difference but the issues continue to be subject to consultation with the Trade Unions. Subsequent pay settlements have been subject to equality-proofing.
	Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
	In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) completed an Equal Pay Review and submitted this together with an action plan to Cabinet Office in April 2003.
	The review found that there were no significant pay gaps as a result of gender difference. There were individual problems as a legacy from earlier pay arrangements; these were addressed in the action plan. Implementation of the action plan is the subject of on-going discussions with the Trade Unions.
	Veterinary Laboratories Agency
	The Veterinary Laboratories Agency completed its Equal Pay Review in April 2003 and the resultant action plan was submitted to Cabinet Office in May 2003. The review found that there were no significant pay gaps as a result of gender difference. Implementation of the action plan is the subject of on-going discussion with the Trade Unions.

Emissions

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairswhat assessment she has made of the impact that rising wholesale gas prices will have on the ability of the UK to meet its carbon dioxide reduction targets; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The updated energy projections, which feed into decisions on the UK National Allocation Plan, make assumptions about wholesale gas prices for the period to 2010. These in turn will affect projections of carbon emissions over this period.
	Carbon dioxide emissions in 2003 are provisionally estimated to have been 7 per cent. below 1990 levels, and total greenhouse gas emissions 14 per cent. below 1990 levels. There was an estimated 0.25 per cent. increase in carbon dioxide emissions between 2002 and 2003. Emissions from power stations increased due to increased coal burn because of low coal prices and high gas prices, lower nuclear output, and colder outside temperatures.
	Projections show that emissions will continue to fall and the UK remains on course to achieve its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12.
	The latest emissions projections, which include our assumptions about fossil fuel prices, are at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep2004.pdf
	A review of the Climate Change Programme was launched on 15 September. The review will evaluate the success of the existing policy measures in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will examine the scope for further reductions in the future.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost to her Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: As we have made clear on a number of occasions, Defra's preparations for implementing the Gershon value for money agenda involves Pareto or detailed expenditure distribution analysis of departmental expenditure on professional services. That analysis is now being undertaken, and will be made available publicly in due course. The analysis will define expenditure on external consultants as a proportion of departmental expenditure on professional services.

Fish Quota

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total value in (a) sterling and (b) euros of UK fish quota entitlements held by (i) fishing licence holders, (ii) fish producer organisations and (iii) others, broken down by (A) species and (B) fishing sector areas, in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department, and the other Fisheries Departments in the UK, currently issue quota allocations annually to the various groups within the fishing industry. These allocations are proportionate to the fixed quota allocation (FQA) units (quota entitlements) held by the vessels in each group. Industry groups are allowed to transfer part or all of their annual quota allocations, and there is some scope to transfer FQA units.
	The Government do not charge for either annual quota or FQA units. Within the industry, swaps and other forms of trading take place: not all are financially based, and the Government are not involved in financial aspects of such trade. I have therefore made no estimate of the total value of quota entitlements.

Foot and Mouth

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason there is a difference between the amount required from the European Commission to assist in defraying the costs of implementing emergency plans to manage the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease and the actual amount agreed by the Commission.

Ben Bradshaw: The Commission undertook a full and detailed audit of the UK's claim for re-imbursement following the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak. Following the auditors' work, the Commission reported that the valuers engaged by Defra had overvalued the animals prior to slaughter. In addition the EC cited certain "technical and financial inadequacies" as the reason for reducing the UK's claim.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Worcestershire have been subject to decontamination activity by her Department this year as a result of inappropriate burial of material associated with the 2001 foot and mouth epidemic; what the cost of such activity has been; and how many more farms she expects will be subject to similar activity.

Ben Bradshaw: Two farms in Worcestershire have been subject to the removal of agricultural waste or pyre ash this year.
	The Department has removed buried agricultural waste from one farm, and buried and unburied pyre ash plus a small quantity of scrap metal from another. Agricultural waste, which could not be adequately disinfected, was burned and/or buried on the affected premises during the 2001 FMD outbreak to prevent the risk of disease spread.
	The total estimated costs of these operations in Worcester are £355,000.
	Based on current knowledge, no other farms are expected to be the subject of similar activity in Worcestershire.

Forest of Dean

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the Integrated Rural Development Initiative in the Forest of Dean.

Alun Michael: The Integrated Rural Development Programme in the Forest of Dean was established in 1999 by the Countryside Agency to test and demonstrate a rural regeneration approach in an area with special landscape, economic and community issues. The Countryside Agency was required to work with the local authorities, the South West Regional Development Agency, Forest Enterprise and other key bodies, as well as with the communities in the Forest. An evaluation of the programme will be undertaken at the end of the project to assess its impact, reporting in March 2006.
	Phase one of the programme from April 2000 to March 2003, aimed to focus on the initiation and development of the baseline study work and support for a number of local projects.
	Phase 2, known as Building on What's Special began in April 2003 and the work undertaken includes:
	direct support for local organisations working to promote and conserve the special qualities of the area;
	recruitment of a locally based Programme Officer and integration of the Building on What's special Management Group with the Local Strategic Partnership;
	publication of a biodiversity study, which will be used in the local planning process;
	addition of over 3,000 new sites to the Sites and Monuments Record as a result of the archaeological survey;
	briefings for Forest of Dean District Council members and officers and other professional stakeholders in order to embed the Integrated Rural Development approach.
	It has recently been agreed to draw up a Supplementary Planning Document about the landscape of the Forest of Dean for use in the local planning process, and to construct a website about the programme.

Horticultural Imports

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of steps being taken to prevent the introduction of disease through the importation of horticultural products; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: In relation to the potential introduction of plant disease through importation of horticultural products, the Public Accounts Committee issued a report on 26 October 2004 to which the Government will shortly be providing a detailed response. Proposals for changes which generally strengthen the regime of plant health import controls have recently been the subject of public consultation, and will be implemented during 2005.

Household Waste

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of (a) the total amount of household waste going to landfill in each of the last three years and (b) the proportions within this total accounted for by (i) fit for purpose food and (ii) packaging.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 7 December 2004
	The amounts of municipal waste going to landfill in England in each of the three years for which data is available are shown in the table:
	
		Municipal waste going to landfill
		
			  Million tonnes 
		
		
			 2000–01 22.0 
			 2001–02 22.3 
			 2002–03 22.0 
		
	
	There are no estimates available on the amounts of fit for purpose food and packaging within these totals.
	Around 90 per cent. of municipal waste comes from households. It is estimated that just over four million tonnes of household waste produced in England is kitchen waste, or approximately 17 per cent. of total arisings.
	The Government are currently consulting on a waste data strategy, designed to improve the quality of waste data in the interests of all potential users.

Hunting

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials were (i) consulted about and (ii) shown the article written by the hon. Member for the Wrekin, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Rural Affairs, published in the Sunday Telegraph on 21 November, prior to its publication.

Alun Michael: Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not obliged to clear anything they write in a personal capacity with Ministers or officials. Indeed this would be wholly inappropriate when matters are the subject of a free vote. As a courtesy, my hon. Friend sent me a draft copy of his article but he did not invite approval of it, and I offered no comments on it prior to publication. No officials were consulted about or shown the article before its publication.

Insects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairsif she will estimate the UK (a) fly, (b) mosquito and (c) cockroach population; and what the predicted numbers are in the event of a (i) 1 per cent., (ii) 2 per cent. and (iii) 3 per cent. increase in current average temperatures due to climate change.

Ben Bradshaw: I am not aware that any estimate for this information is available.

Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount to be raised in fines from local authorities under the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme once it is in operation.

Elliot Morley: The scheme is designed as a tool to help local authorities meet the required reductions in landfill in the most cost effective way. Although a penalty system is necessary to act as a disincentive to local authorities exceeding their allowances, the Government believes that the flexibility offered in the scheme means that no authority should ever need to pay a penalty.

Oil Deliveries

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made by the Environment Agency towards developing a voluntary code of practice with the oil industry on raising standards for delivering oil to domestic heating tanks; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 December 2004
	Raising delivery standards is a very important element in tackling inland oil pollution. The Environment Agency is fully supportive of the two main schemes run by industry and is looking at ways it can formalise this support and improve environmental performance. The agency is actively encouraging delivery companies to adopt the principles of the voluntary schemes on deliveries that it has helped to create with the major oil companies.

Oil Pollution

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the trend in oil pollution incidents since the publication of the Environment Agency's Position Statement on oil pollution of inland waters in February.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The Environment Agency's Position Statement showed a decline in the overall number of oil pollution incidents from 6,215 in 2000 to 5,217 in 2002, a reduction of 16 per cent. Since publication, the figures for 2003 have become available and show a further welcome decline of over 10 per cent. to 4,656. This fall is across all categories of incident, maintaining the reduction in the most serious incidents and, importantly, also seeing a reduction in minor incidents.

Oil Pollution

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of pollution caused by leakage from domestic oil tanks.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 December 2004
	New and replacement oil tanks on domestic premises are subject to Building Regulations, which require a risk assessment to be undertaken and a bunded tank to be used if the risk is high, for example if the tank is within 10 metres of a watercourse. All tanks over 2,500 litres must be bunded.
	Domestic oil storage tanks over 3,500 litres are subject to The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 which already apply to new facilities and existing facilities at significant risk and will apply to all remaining existing oil stores by 1 September 2005. In addition, the Agency has powers under the Water Resources Act 1991 to require improvements of installations where pollution of controlled waters is likely to occur.

Oil Pollution

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the recommendations made by the Environment Agency in its Position Statement on oil pollution of inland waters published in February.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The Department is in regular contact with the Environment Agency about the prevention of oil pollution generally and the recommendations in the Position Statement.

Raptors

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations are in place to protect raptor bird populations; and what plans she has to amend this legislation.

Ben Bradshaw: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds. This fulfils Great Britain's obligations under the EC wild birds directive. The Act's provisions provide a powerful framework for the conservation of wild birds, their eggs, nests and habitats. It is an offence to kill or take any wild bird and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 implemented penalties of a fine of up to £5,000 per specimen and/or six months custodial sentence.
	There are no plans to amend this legislation.

Recycling Targets

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce recycling targets for local authorities to cover (a) the recycling of commercial waste and (b) home composting; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Local authorities are only required by section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to collect commercial waste if they are requested to do so by the producer of the waste. At present, those producing commercial waste can arrange for its collection with either a local authority or a suitably licensed private waste management firm.
	A statutory duty to collect commercial waste would have to be placed on local authorities if a recycling target for the collection of commercial waste were to be set for them. We have no plans to introduce such a duty and so have no plans to introduce recycling targets for local authorities to cover the recycling of commercial waste.
	There is as yet no auditable methodology for determining how much waste is treated through home composting. But the Environment Agency and the Waste and Resources Action Programme are currently working to develop more robust techniques for using operational statistics to assess the diversion effects of home composting. If an auditable methodology is developed we will consider including home composting within existing composting targets.

Statutory Nuisance Complaints

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) requirement and (b) statutory guidance is (i) in place and (ii) planned for a borough council to have an established procedure for dealing with complaints about a statutory nuisance.

Alun Michael: Local authorities have a statutory duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to take reasonable steps to investigate complaints of statutory nuisance. It is for local authorities to decide how best to meet this duty. There is no provision in legislation for statutory guidance in relation to statutory nuisance.

Sustainable Development

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress by her Department since 1997 in (a) developing energy efficiency, (b) increasing biodiversity, (c) encouraging sustainable development and (d) supporting agriculture.

Alun Michael: Defra was created in June 2001 both to act as a "champion" within Government for sustainable development and with specific responsibility for environmental protection, the renewal of rural areas and the future of the farming industry. Defra reports annually on its progress in delivering these objectives through its departmental reports. We also report progress against any outstanding PSA targets in our Autumn Performance reports.
	Detailed below are some of the key highlights setting out the Department's progress since its creation in the areas of: (1) sustainable development; (2) developing energy efficiency; (3) increasing biodiversity; (4) the renewal of rural areas; and (5) supporting agriculture.
	(1) Encouraging sustainable development
	Sustainable development involves integrating and balancing social, economic and environmental considerations and is described by the Government as achieving "a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come". Achieving it requires the following objectives to be met at the same time, in the UK and the world as a whole:
	social progress that recognises the needs of everyone;
	effective protection of the environment and prudent use of natural resources; and
	maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
	To reflect the Government's commitment to achieving meaningful change, Defra's target for embedding sustainable development following the 2004 Spending Review has been expanded to incorporate international sustainable development and climate change elements.
	Defra has improved its organisational and administrative processes to help deliver sustainable development in three main ways:
	A revised Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). R1A is an assessment of the impact of policy options in terms of the costs, benefits and risks of a proposal. The revised RIA requires all major government decisions to take full account of environmental, social and economic impacts; and
	Linking of Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets to headline indicators. Following on from progress made during the 2004 Spending Review, work is continuing to formally link the headline indicators with specific Public Service Agreements across Government. This will ensure that sustainable development is given full consideration when Departments are developing their policies.
	Creation of a new sustainable development programme board. The new board is chaired by Defra's Permanent Secretary and comprises senior officials representing those key Government Departments that are seen to be at the forefront of sustainable development. Its role is to ensure that Departments have the capacity to deliver their commitments arising from the new UK sustainable development strategy.
	Although Defra is making progress across the three pillars (economic, social and environmental) of sustainable development, Defra recognises that there is still much more to be done. Evidence from the Strategy consultation and the Sustainable Development Commission's report on progress (Shows Promise. Must Try Harder) broadly supports this assessment.
	(2) Energy Efficiency
	Energy efficiency is an integral element of the UK's strong domestic programme to address climate change. The 2003 Energy White Paper identified energy efficiency as the most cost-effective way to deliver all four of our energy policy goals. Energy Efficiency: The Government's Plan for Action was published in April 2004, setting out a clear framework for improving energy efficiency at an unprecedented level.
	The policies and measures in the action plan will save over 12 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010—more than half the UK's overall carbon saving target for 2010 and will save households and businesses £3 billion per year on their energy bills. The plan stands as an up-to-date compilation of the Government's delivery plans to make a step change in the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
	We already have a substantial package of action but we intend to do more to ensure we see a step change in the rate of improvement of energy efficiency and successfully deliver the transition to a low carbon economy.
	We continue to look for ways to further strengthen energy efficiency as part of the Climate Change Programme review and will publish an updated programme in the first half of next year.
	(3) Biodiversity
	The UK Biodiversity Action Plan established clear biological targets for habitats and species. Progress since 1997 has been encouraging; for example, the 2002 reporting round revealed positive trends for more than a third of the UK BAP species and nearly 60 per cent. of the habitats. This year's figures for wild bird populations show some encouraging signs that our policies for biodiversity are resulting in positive outcomes for birds, but there is no room for complacency and more remains to be done.
	In 2002 the Government published "Working with the grain of nature: a Biodiversity Strategy for England" which sets out a programme of activity to ensure the integration of biodiversity into policymaking and practice. The strategy sets out five key policy areas where integration needs to be achieved: agriculture, water, woodland, marine/coastal management and urban. It also includes four areas where cross-cutting improvement is needed: driving local and regional action; the economics and funding of biodiversity; the engagement of business and promoting education and public understanding.
	We have put in place other measures including our extensive network of protected sites and the development of agri-environment schemes. We have also set challenging PSA targets to bring into favourable condition by 2010 95 per cent. of all nationally important wildlife sites; and to reverse the long-term decline in the number of farmland birds by 2020. The UK BAP is about to embark on its 2005 reporting round which we hope will provide more evidence to show that our work on policy integration is resulting in further biodiversity gains.
	(4) The renewal of rural areas
	As part of the Rural Strategy 2004, we announced that we would establish an integrated agency comprising (a) English Nature, (b) the access, recreation and landscape elements of the Countryside Agency and (c) most of the Rural Development Service. This single independent non-departmental public body (NDPB) will build on the world-class strengths and scientific expertise of the existing organisations. It will be a champion of integrated resource management, nature conservation, biodiversity, landscape, access and recreation. Working in close partnership with the Environment Agency, it will lead on the delivery of Government targets for biodiversity to produce improvements for biodiversity across rural, urban, marine and coastal England.
	We also promised to establish a new Countryside Agency. The New Countryside Agency, initially to be set up as a distinctive body within the legal framework of the Countryside Agency, will in due course be an independent NDPB in its own right. It will be a strong voice for rural people and communities, acting as expert adviser, watchdog and advocate. Its priority will be rural disadvantage. It will act as a think-tank and futures body drawing on best practice to suggest innovative solutions to Government and monitoring and reporting on progress in delivery. It will fit within a sustainable development umbrella to ensure that in championing people, the relationship between people, their communities and their environment is enhanced and not weakened.
	(5) Supporting agriculture
	In March 2000 the Government launched the Action Plan for Farming, which was developed in partnership with industry to support industry restructuring and adaptation in response to very low income levels. In August 2001, the Government set up the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food to advise the Government on how to create a sustainable, competitive and diverse farming and food sector. The Policy Commission produced its report in December 2001, containing 105 recommendations around the theme of reconnecting farmers with the market and aligning their activities with the needs of society and with the market.
	The Government incorporated the vast majority of the Policy Commission's recommendations in its Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food—Facing the Future in England, which was launched on 12 December 2002. The strategy outlines how industry, Government and consumers can work together to secure a sustainable future for our farming and food industries, as viable industries contributing to a better environment and healthy and prosperous communities. An independent Implementation Group, chaired by Sir Don Curry, has been established to oversee delivery of the strategy.
	The strategy sets out the basis for a new relationship between Government and the farming industry in England. At its heart is a drive to make farmers more market, and less subsidy, focused while managing their businesses in more environmentally and socially responsible ways. The Government pay £1.8 billion in direct support to agriculture each year through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Last June's CAP reform deal, which has allowed member states to decouple CAP subsidies from production, is crucial to delivering the strategy.
	The England Rural Development Programme provides a framework for the operation of 10 separate but integrated schemes which provide new opportunities to protect and improve the countryside, to develop sustainable enterprises and to help rural communities to thrive. The Government have spent £825.3 million under these schemes since the programme was launched in 2000.
	Further information
	More detailed information on the Department's performance can be found in Defra's Departmental and Autumn Performance Reports. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library and can be found online at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/default.htm.

Vehicle Dealers

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legislation is in place to prevent vehicle dealers from trading on public highways.

Alun Michael: Legislative powers are already available to local authorities to deal with vehicles that have been abandoned on the street. The Government recognises the link between abandoned vehicles and other irresponsible criminal activity and environmental damage as well as inconsiderate vehicle ownership.
	The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill includes a raft of measures that will improve the suite of powers available to local authorities to tackle damage to the local environment. Among other measures, this Bill will make it an offence to repair a vehicle on a road and to expose or advertise for sale vehicles on a road as part of a business

Veterinary Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 
	(1)  how many large animal veterinary practices have operated in the UK in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many large animal veterinary practices have (a) closed and (b) merged in the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(3)  what proportion of newly qualified veterinary surgeons have entered large animal practices in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 30 November 2004
	The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is the regulatory body responsible for the veterinary profession and maintain a register of veterinary surgeons eligible to practise in the United Kingdom. There is no requirement for all practices to be notified to the college. Information on the number of veterinary surgeons, and the number of veterinary practices is not held by the Department. However, a wide range of evidence was presented to the EFRA Committee to inform its report on Vets and Veterinary Services (Sixteenth Report of Session 2002/2003).

Veterinary Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the capacity of (a) public and (b) private veterinary services to meet the needs of large and farm animals in the UK.

Ben Bradshaw: The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report on Vets and Veterinary Services (sixteenth report of session 2002/2003) considered the provision of farm veterinary services in England and Wales. The Government's response recognised that the veterinary profession is undergoing fundamental changes and the biggest changes are yet to come. There is much that the profession can do to meet these challenges, such as farm health planning and developing new working relationships with customers and other farm service providers
	There is no evidence of market failure in the provision of private veterinary services. More veterinarians than ever are being trained and there is clear evidence that they want to be involved in large animal work.
	Although no formal assessment has been made of the capacity of public veterinary services, the staffing levels of the state veterinary service remain at an average of 225 full time equivalent veterinary officers. On 29 November I announced the decision to go ahead with the plan to launch the new agency on 1 April 2005. We are pledged to working with all customers and stakeholders, listening to their concerns and their counsel and taking their views into account as the agency takes shape.

Waste Food

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking towards reducing the amount of (a) waste food and (b) fit for purpose food going to landfill; and what assessment she has made of the possible use of fit for purpose waste food to feed vulnerable people in the community.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 7 December 2004
	From 1 January 2006 the Animal By-Products Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 will prohibit the use of landfill for the disposal of former foodstuffs containing material of animal origin which originate in food manufacturing and retail premises. Also, I understand that a number of multiple retailers have voluntary initiatives in place to make use of unsold food products.
	The Government supports diverting foodstuffs away from landfill and provides funding for various measures that offer value-for-money in terms of diverting waste from landfill. Government also supports schemes that help the more vulnerable members of society, in a way that is consistent with Local Authorities Homelessness Strategies.

Waste Food

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives she has identified to divert fit for purpose waste food from going to landfill; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 7 December 2004
	The Government are committed to reducing the UK's reliance on landfill, in order to reduce its environmental impact and because landfilling is a missed opportunity to recover value from waste. As a contribution to this objective, the Government supports diverting foodstuffs away from landfill and provides funding for various measures that offer value-for-money in terms of diverting waste from landfill. In addition, I understand that a number of multiple retailers have voluntary schemes in place to make use of unsold food products.
	From 1 January 2006 the Animal By-Products Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 will prohibit the use of landfill for the disposal of former foodstuffs containing material of animal origin which originate in food manufacturing and retail premises.

Wood (Waste and Recycling)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to increase the reuse of waste wood;
	(2)  what guidance her Department gives to local authorities on encouraging recycling of wood;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the amount of waste wood produced by households in the UK in the last year.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 1 December 2004
	Wood may be diverted from landfill in a number of ways such as through re-use or recycling it as a raw material in construction, or for manufacturing wood-based products, or for use as a fuel, rather than being sent to landfill. To encourage this, wood is one of the priority materials under the Government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) which was established to create materials for recycled materials. By 2006 WRAP is aiming to deliver an additional 150,000 tonnes recycling capacity for waste wood, with the majority going into added-value end markets.
	Defra provides a range of support for local authorities in England to help improve their recycling rates for all types of household waste, including waste wood, such as the Waste Implementation Programme's Local Authority Support programme. Local authorities can also get advice on the separate collection of dry recyclables and organic wastes from WRAP'S ROTATE programme.
	My Department does not collect separate data on the amount of waste wood produced by households in the UK. However, Dr. J. Parfitt's Analysis of Household Waste Composition cited in the Strategy Unit's 2002 report, "Waste not, Want not; A strategy for tackling the waste problem in England", indicates that wood made up 5 per cent. of household waste in the UK in 2000–01.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: I refer to the response given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office, Douglas Alexander on Thursday 13 November 2003, Official Report, column 397–98W. A letter was deposited in the Library in relation to this response which gave the cost of ministerial cars for 2002–03.
	My hon. Friend the Minister of the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) has asked Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles provided to this Department in 2003–04.
	The costs of taxis provided for DFID, under the central contracts in the UK, for the last two years are as follows:
	
		£
		
			  Cost of taxis 
		
		
			 2002–03 105,908 
			 2003–04 143,447 
		
	
	Taxi costs incurred by members of staff outside the central contracts are not available centrally and could not be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Sponsorship or co-sponsorship of events is an important element in DFID's administration of the UK Government's overseas development programme. They help to publicise work that is being done, ensure a healthy level of informed debate on development and related issues and make valuable inputs to development of future policy, strategies and delivery mechanisms. DFID organises a number of varied kinds of event during an average year both in the UK and in other countries in the developed and developing worlds. However, DFID has no central source which could provide the information required by this question and the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionate to the end result.

Food Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have been the top 20 recipients of (a) UK and (b) EU food aid in the last year; what tonnages of food each country received, broken down by food type; and what proportion of each food type was locally produced in each country.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: In 2003–04, the UK provided £285.110 million as humanitarian assistance; this included £42.452 million as cash contributions to appeals for emergency food aid. The UK's international food aid is channelled through the World Food Programme (WHO) and NGOs.
	Where emergency responses involve the supply of food commodities, the top recipient countries of UK financed food aid are shown in the following table. The table lists the main food types supplied and also indicates the amount provided, the percentage purchased in the recipient country (locally), in neighbouring countries (regional) or direct from the donor country (direct supply).
	
		UK Food Aid: 2003–04
		
			 Recipient county Metric tonnes Percentage L(10) Percentage R(11) Percentage D(12) Food type 
		
		
			 Ethiopia 113,395 9 91 — beans, corn soya blend, maize, vegetable oil, wheat 
			 Zimbabwe 42,733 16 84 — beans, corn soya blend, maize, maize meal, peas, pulses, vegetable oil 
			 Iraq 44,970 — 88 — rice, sugar, beans, dried whole milk, lentils, peas, vegetable oil, wheat flour, maize, peas 
			 Angola 5,753 2 98 — maize, split peas 
			 Uganda 57,477 100 — — beans, corn soya blend, maize 
			 Eritrea 5,584 — 100 — wheat, split peas 
			 Afghanistan 5,370 — 97 2 peas, sugar, wheat 
			 Sudan 4,468 11 89 — corn soya blend, sorghum, vegetable oil, split peas, 
			 Zambia 4,250 100 — — beans, corn soya blend 
			 Mauritania 4,199 100 — — sugar, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend, split peas, wheat 
			 Nepal 2,553 100 — — rice 
			 Russian Federation 2,541 89 11 — salt, vegetable oil, wheat flour 
			 Malawi 2,526 16 84 — maize, peas 
			 Albania 2,258 — 100 — wheat flour 
			 Kenya 1,429 100 — — maize 
			 Iran 990 — 11 89 rice, sugar 
			 Mali 900 — — — maize 
			 Swaziland 587 — — — beans 
			 Bangladesh 175 50 50 — salt, sugar, split peas, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend 
			 Rwanda 145 — — 100 beans, corn soya blend 
		
	
	(10) Local supply
	(11) Regional supply
	(12) Direct transfer
	The European Community's (EC) budget for food security and food aid in 2003 was €425.637 million (£297.641 million) and in 2004 is €419.637 (£293.452 million).
	The UK's share of the EC food security and food aid budget is 19 per cent.
	Where food commodities were supplied by the EC in 2003–04 as food aid, the top recipient countries are shown in the following table. The table also indicates the amount provided, the percentage purchased in the recipient country (locally), in neighbouring countries (regional) or direct from the donor country (direct supply). The table also lists the main food types supplied.
	
		European Union Food Aid: 2003–04
		
			 Recipient country Metric tonnes Percentage L(13) Percentage R(14) Percentage D(15) Food type 
		
		
			 Ethiopia 341,030 — 93 — wheat, corn soya blend, cereals and grains, sorghum, faffa, maize 
			 Zimbabwe 104,969 24 76 — maize, corn soya blend, pulses, vegetable oil, soya oil 
			 Sudan 4,468 11 89 — corn soya blend, sorghum, vegetable oil, split peas, 
			 Zambia 4,250 100 — — beans, corn soya blend 
			 Mauritania 4,199 100 — — sugar, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend, split peas, wheat 
			 Nepal 2,553 100 — — rice 
			 Russian Federation 2,541 89 11 — salt, vegetable oil, wheat flour 
			 Malawi 2,526 16 84 — maize, peas 
			 Albania 2,258 — 100 — wheat flour 
			 Kenya 1,429 100 — — maize 
			 Iran 990 — 11 89 rice, sugar 
			 Mali 900 — — — maize 
			 Swaziland 587 — — — beans 
			 Bangladesh 175 50 50 — salt, sugar, split peas, vegetable oil, wheat soya blend 
			 Rwanda 145 — — 100 beans, corn soya blend 
		
	
	(13) Local supply
	(14) Regional supply
	(15) Direct transfer

Human Rights Act

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments.

Hilary Benn: On the whole, the Human Rights Act has not given rise to a great deal of specific litigation; Human Rights points are most often taken in support of other causes of action. This makes them very difficult to count separately.
	The subjects of the convention rights themselves are, to a very great extent, already actionable in existing domestic law.
	For these reasons it would not be possible to apportion costs and compensation payments as requested without reviewing all the cases handled by Departments since October 2000, which would give rise to a disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the (a) present living conditions of the civilian population in Fallujah and (b) the availability within Fallujah of water and heating facilities.

Hilary Benn: DFID advisers working with the Interim Iraqi Government (IIG) estimate that most of the population of Fallujah left the city before the recent outbreak of fighting, and that only about 1,500 people remain there.
	Electricity and water infrastructure was damaged during the course of military action. However, Iraqi and Multi-National Forces supplied water to civilians as they moved into the city. The IIG and US forces had also stockpiled supplies of water, food and medicine prior to the military operation. The IIG, the Multi-National Force (MNF), and the Red Cross and Iraqi Red Crescent continue to deliver water, food, medical supplies, and shelter to the civilians remaining in Fallujah.
	The IIG is in control of the humanitarian and reconstruction work in Fallujah. Significant funds from the Iraqi budget have been set aside so that the city's buildings and services can be rehabilitated. The IIG has established a cross-ministry Fallujah team to coordinate aid and reconstruction for the people of Fallujah. DFID is providing technical advice to the IIG Fallujah team. United States forces and development agencies are also planning to carry out rapid repairs to damaged infrastructure in Fallujah, to ensure that the population has access to basic services as soon as possible.
	The majority of Fallujah's population is staying with host families and in public buildings in the surrounding area, and in Baghdad. The Iraqi Ministry of Health is delivering essential supplies to the displaced population, and is providing shelter and blankets to those not under hard cover. The IIG is planning, with the military forces operating in the area; for the return of Fallujah's population to the city as soon as it is safe and essential services are in place.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many written questions for his Department were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 session.

Hilary Benn: DFID had no unanswered questions when Parliament prorogued.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 and when each appeal was lodged.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether departmental special advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Hilary Benn: Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether departmental Special Advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997.

Hilary Benn: Any speeches made by Special Advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the 'Code of Conduct for Special Advisers'.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the UN Food Programme's decision to suspend operations in Darfur; and what steps have been taken to meet the needs of the people who are out of reach of aid workers as a result.

Hilary Benn: I am gravely concerned about the situation in Darfur, Sudan and keep a close watch on developments. The World Food Programme's (WFP) decision to suspend operations in north Darfur was in response to attacks on Talwilah town on 22 November. This prompted the UN Security Co-ordinator (UNSECOORD) to stop all UN movement out of the state capital and suspend all UN operations in SLA areas. The tension has eased in some areas allowing food distributions to re-start on 28 November. However, some parts of north Darfur are still designated as "NO GO" for UN personnel. The humanitarian community has tracked an estimated 30,000 people who fled the 22 November attacks and is in the process of registering and providing food and other assistance to them. Insecurity in north Darfur continues to affect the UN and its agencies ability to access all parts of Darfur.
	The UK is pressing all parties to the conflict to implement the Abuja humanitarian and security protocols to allowed unfettered access throughout Darfur. We have also provided over £4 million to the World Food Programme for their logistical operations in Darfur and over £1 million to the UN for security operations.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the decision of Sudan's Humanitarian Affairs Commission to expel the country directors of Oxfam and Save the Children; and what the implications are for the provision of food relief in Darfur.

Hilary Benn: On 29 November, our ambassador in Khartoum raised, with the local authorities, reports of the decision to ask the Directors of Oxfam and Save the Children UK to leave Sudan. The Government of Sudan subsequently indicated that this decision has been suspended until further notice.
	It is vital that all humanitarian agencies are given unfettered access to deliver assistance in Darfur. We will continue to make this clear, as necessary to the Government of Sudan.

PRIME MINISTER

City Academies

Jim Cousins: To ask the Prime Minister whether Mr. Andrew Adonis of his Policy Unit has visited the City of Newcastle upon Tyne to promote city academies in the last 12 months.

Tony Blair: My officials and I have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals. A with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, under Exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Foreign Press Articles

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list articles written by Members of his Government in an official capacity that have been published in the foreign press over the past 12 months; and if he will place copies in the Library (a) of these articles and (b) as a matter of course in the future.

Tony Blair: The information requested is not held centrally.

Iraq

Alice Mahon: To ask the Prime Minister if he will set up an independent inquiry to determine how many Iraqis have been killed or injured since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) at Prime Minister's questions on 8 December 2004, Official Report, columns 1166–67.

Pakistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the prospect of Pakistan signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty during his discussions with President Musharraf of Pakistan on 6 December.

Tony Blair: I discussed a wide range of bilateral and international issues, including those relating to nuclear weapons proliferation, during President Musharraf's recent visit.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the joint statement released and press conference I held with President Musharraf on 6 December, both of which are available on the Number 10 website.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Special Advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Tony Blair: Special Advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister how many complaints were made by civil servants regarding the conduct of Special Advisers for whom he is responsible between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly).

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Special Advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997.

Tony Blair: Any speeches made by Special Advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister whether his special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary select committees in their official capacity since May 1997.

Tony Blair: Yes.

Telecommunications

David Lidington: To ask the Prime Minister whether his office has made representations to (a) Wycombe district council, (b) mobile telephone network providers and (c) the Thames Valley police on plans to locate a radio base station at Missenden Road, Buckmoorend, Butler's Cross; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Neither I nor my office have made any representations to these organisations.

Working Time Regulations

Graham Brady: To ask the Prime Minister how many officials working in ministerial private offices in his Office have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

Tony Blair: Officials in my private office who work more than 48 hours a week as defined by the working time regulations have signed a waiver.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Film Classification

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to change British film classifications.

Estelle Morris: The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is the independent body responsible for classifying all films, DVDs and videos available to the public in the UK. The Department has no plans to change the existing arrangements. Local authorities, which are statutorily responsible for issuing cinema licences, have the power either to change the BBFC's classification of a specific film, or to refuse to allow it to be shown in their areas.

Olympic Medal Winners

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many requests to have Olympic medal winners visit secondary schools have been met by UK Sport in 2004.

Richard Caborn: UK Sport has not received any such requests.

Park Refurbishment (Liverpool)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the Heritage Lottery Fund has provided for the refurbishment of parks in Liverpool since 1997, broken down by (a) park and (b) organisations to which funding was made.

Richard Caborn: Since 1997, the Heritage Lottery Fund has made one award to parks in Liverpool. The award of £2,442,000 was made in 1998 to Liverpool City council for the restoration of the Grade II* listed Palm House in Sefton Park.

Public Swimming Pools

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public swimming pools there are in England.

Richard Caborn: According to the most recent Sport England figures, there are a total of 3,484 swimming pools in England, including main, learner, diving, leisure and outdoor pools.
	Of these, 2,662 are open to the public.

Regional Archive Councils

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated public expenditure on the regional archive councils in England was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Estelle Morris: The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (Resource at that point) awarded a grant of £28,125 to support Regional Archive Councils (or their equivalent) to be distributed by the National Council on Archives in 2003–04 as £3,125 to be distributed to each English RAC. MLA has always stated that its revenue support for the RACs would finish permanently in March 2004 when all Regional Agencies would be up and running.

Regional Sports Boards

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated public expenditure on the regional sports boards in England was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: Details of the 2004–05 budget for the public expenditure (Exchequer and Lottery) of Sport England's regional offices are given in the table.
	
		£000
		
			 Region Awards distributed Direct delivery costs Other running costs Total 
		
		
			 East 9,128 39 989 10,156 
			 East Midlands 14,868 44 1,041 15,953 
			 London 12,802 60 1,066 13,927 
			 North East 11,915 46 930 12,891 
			 North West 26,849 74 1,249 28,172 
			 South East 14,514 51 1,333 15,899 
			 South West 10,394 38 952 11,384 
			 West Midlands 13,183 46 1,061 14,290 
			 Yorkshire 9,054 44 1,022 10,120

School Sport

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the £750 million pledged by the Prime Minister to school sport (a) has been spent and (b) is planned to be spent in the West Midlands.

Richard Caborn: £750.75 million is available to local education authorities for the New Opportunities for PE and Sport (NOPES) programme: £581.25 million in England; £87 million in Scotland; £48.75 million in Wales; and £33.75 in Northern Ireland.
	In October 2004, £446.65 million of NOPES funding had been committed for 2026 facilities, with £40.1 million being drawn-down by the local education authorities.
	West Midlands local education authorities have been allocated £61.27 million of NOPES funding. Of this amount, £46.45 million is committed expenditure.

Sickness Absence

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many days sick leave were taken by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year.

Richard Caborn: Cabinet Office publishes an annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". The most recently published figures for the calendar year 2003 were announced by Written Ministerial Statement on 1 November 2004, and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.
	DCMS is committed to managing sickness absence effectively.

Sports Bodies

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed by (a) Sport England East, (b) Sport England East Midlands, (c) Sport England London, (d) Sport England North East, (e) Sport England North West, (f) Sport England South East, (g) Sport England South West, (h) Sport England West Midlands and (i) Sport England Yorkshire; what the running cost of each body was in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement on the future of each body.

Richard Caborn: The number of staff employed by each of Sport England's regional offices on a full-time equivalent basis as at October 2004, and the budget for the 2004–05 running costs of each regional office, are shown in the table.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport keeps Sport England under review, in accordance with Government guidelines, to ensure that its functions are still required and that it still provides the most effective means of carrying out those functions.
	
		
			  Region Number of staff (FTE) Budget for running costs (£000) 
		
		
			 East 15 989 
			 East Midlands 13 1,041 
			 London 14 1,066 
			 North East 16 930 
			 North West 16 1,249 
			 South East 20 1,333 
			 South West 17 952 
			 West Midlands 16 1,061 
			 Yorkshire 14 1,022

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

14 to 16 Education

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his intention to continue the 14 to 16 years old increased flexibility programme.

David Miliband: An announcement will be made shortly.

16 to 18 Education

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many extra 16 to 18 year olds he expects to stay in education as a result of the education maintenance allowance in the London Borough of Barnet.

Ivan Lewis: Since the start of the academic year, as of 30 November 2004, 751 young people in the Barnet local authority area have received payments under the national EMA scheme. The number is increasing at a steady rate and we expect it to continue to do so. In 2004/05 across England we expect the number of 16 to 18 year olds participating in education to increase by 35,000 (3.8 percentage points) as a direct result of EMA. By 2006/07, when EMA is available to all eligible 16 to 18 year olds, an additional 72,000 young people will be in further education.

Academics (EU Funding)

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list UK academics who have been in receipt of EU funds over the past three years.

Kim Howells: We do not hold information on EU funding awards to individual academics. Most academics receive such funding via their institutions.

Barnet Schools and Colleges

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to eliminate the funding gap between schools and colleges in the London borough of Barnet.

Kim Howells: holding answer 13 December 2004
	For the academic year 2003/04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. In 2004/05, funding rates for colleges meeting their targets increased by 5 per cent., while those for school sixth forms rose by 4 per cent. We expect to see this trend continue in the 2005/06 academic year.

Bullying

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what schemes to counter bullying have received public funding in the last seven years.

Stephen Twigg: The Department funds a number of key voluntary sector organisations to support anti-bullying work. The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), an umbrella group of over 50 voluntary sector organisations, professional associations and leading authorities, has been provided with funding of £600,000 to link with the work of the Department on addressing bullying behaviour.
	In 2004/05, the Department has given just over £190,000 to Parentline Plus to support their helpline for parents and we have also provided ChildLine in Partnership with Schools Programme (CHIPS) with £164,000 for anti-bullying work involving peer support. This autumn the Department has provided a grant for the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Award to create a dedicated anti-bullying award for schools to recognise the achievements of young people who are leading on work in tackling bullying in their schools and communities. It has not been possible to obtain details of previous years' funding in the time available. But I will place these details in the Libraries shortly.

CAFCASS

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the turnover of CAFCASS staff was in each family court area in the last year for which figures are available; what the turnover of staff at each contact centre was; and how many and what percentage of no-shows for arranged contacts there were in each contact centre.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Children's Commissioner for England

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much will be spent per head of child population by the Children's Commissioner for England in 2005–06.

Margaret Hodge: Our Explanatory Note for the Children Bill gave our estimate that the Children's Commissioner's budget will be in the region of £2.5 million. We are reviewing the position in the light of the final provisions in the Act following Royal Assent The figure reflects the nature of the Children's Commissioner's duties in England, and the economies of scale not available to his colleagues elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Children's Commissioner for England

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects to confirm the appointment of a Children's Commissioner for England.

Margaret Hodge: We hope to be able to announce the name of the Children's Commissioner at the end of February 2005, with the successful candidate taking up the post in the early summer.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in the Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Stephen Twigg: My Department's target for the 2004 calendar year is to reply to correspondence within 15 working days of receipt. This target is the same for correspondence from hon. Members, and for officials in the Department to reply to correspondence received directly from members of the public.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament/Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Advertising

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many television advertisements his Department has commissioned on (a) terrestrial and (b) satellite television channels in the last 12 months; and what the cost was in each case.

Stephen Twigg: In the financial year 2004/05, the Department has produced the following television advertisements.
	
		
			   Campaign   Number Cost of buying advertising space (£000) 
		
		
			 Educational Maintenance Allowance 4 3,167 
			 Adult Basic Skills 2 3,905 
		
	
	It is only possible to differentiate costs between Terrestrial TV and Satellite channels at disproportionate cost. TV advertisements have been transmitted across both medium in most cases.

Departmental Advertising

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what criteria are used by his Department to determine (a) on which satellite television channels advertisements on behalf of his Department and its agencies are screened and (b) the frequency of screenings of advertisements.

Stephen Twigg: The criteria used by my Department for all campaigns are individually assessed to take into account the campaign objectives, the target audience and any specific regional factors.
	The aim is always to secure the most effective advertising slots, to match the brief at the most competitive prices, within the budget allocated.
	Frequency of screening will depend on a consideration of how many times an audience needs to see the message before it will achieve the desired effect and the size of the audience for any particular television spot.

Departmental Advertising

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has held with the devolved administrations relating to the content, frequency and timing of television advertising placed by his Department on UK-wide satellite television channels.

Mr. Twigg: We do not discuss content, frequency and timing of television advertisements with the devolved administrations. Advertisements appearing on satellite channels avoid possible confusion by stating that they apply to England only.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: The cost to my Department for in-house canteen in 2002–03 was £11,701 and in 2003–04 £42,316. These costs include all contract costs but exclude associated accommodation and utility costs.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The only Public Private Partnership my Department is involved with is for the delivery of the Connexions Card and no consultants have been used in the last two years.

Early Years Education

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children he estimates will benefit from changes in baseline spending on (a) nursery education and (b) Sure Start in 2007–08.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 November 2004
	Free part-time nursery education is an entitlement for all three and four-year-olds whose parents wish to take it up. From population projections we predict that 1,116,200 children will benefit in 2006–07 and 1,141,000 in 2007–08. We are unable to quote baseline spending on nursery education as this is now included in local authorities under 5's sub block of funding.
	The "10 year early years and childcare strategy", published on 2 December, aims to ensure that every child gets the best start in life and that parents have more choice about how to balance work and family life. The additional money announced in the pre- Budget report on 2 December brings the baseline spend for Sure Start in 2007–08 to £1.78 billion.
	By 2008, 2,500 Sure Start children's centres will be operating, and all young children and their families in both the most disadvantaged areas, and in other areas will have access to integrated health, early education, child care and family support. By 2010 the number of children's centres will increase to 3,500, with a children's centre in every community.
	The present stock of registered child care places is 1,164,545 for 0–7-year-olds. The Department has a target to create an extra 1,212,892 places by March 2008. By 2008 a significant proportion of primary schools will offer wrap around child care during term time and school holidays, and a third of all secondary schools will be open from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. year round offering a range of exciting activities for young people. We do not currently have an estimate of the number of children who will take up this offer. By 2010 there will be child care guarantee with child care available for all children aged between 3–14 between the hours of 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Education (Parity of Resources)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure parity of resources provided to further education colleges and schools.

Kim Howells: For the academic year 2003/04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. In 2004/05, funding rates for colleges meeting their targets increased by 5 per cent., while those for school sixth forms rose by 4 per cent. We expect to see this trend continue in the 2005/06 academic year.

Education Funding

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to tackle the funding gap between schools and post-16 colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Government have taken action to narrow the funding gap between school sixth forms and post-16 further education colleges. For the academic year 2003/04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. In 2004/05, funding rates for colleges meeting their targets increased by 5 per cent., while those for school sixth forms rose by 4 per cent. We expect to see this trend continue in the 2005/06 academic year.

Education Funding

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of his Department's budget he expects will be spent on (a) schools, (b) under-fives provision and (c) the teaching of A levels or highers in each year from 2005–06 to 2007–08.

Charles Clarke: It is not possible to give a breakdown in precisely these categories. The following table shows the proportion of the Department's resources I expect to be spent in the areas shown. These figures are based on current planning assumptions and are, therefore, indicative only and subject to change. They do not include resources within the local government finance settlement.
	
		Percentage
		
			  2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Under-fives, sure start and childcare 4 5 5 
			 Schools, excluding schools sixth forms 31 30 31 
			 School sixth forms and 16–18 provision in further education, excluding work based training for young people 13 14 14 
		
	
	16–18 provision in further education includes both academic and vocation provision at all levels of the National Qualifications Framework, and the funding made available in the 2004 Spending Review for 16–18 buildings and facilities.
	There is a slight drop in the proportion of my Department's resources that I expect to be spent on schools in 2006/07 followed by a rise in 2007/08. This is the combined consequence of
	Differential overall rates of increase in revenue and capital expenditure over the period
	Funding from my Department for schools including a higher proportion of capital expenditure than for other sectors.
	The remainder of the Department's resources for the period are allocated as follows:
	
		Percentage
		
			  2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Children, young people and  families 4 4 4 
			 Further education and skills 19 18 18 
			 Higher education 27 27 27 
			 Activity to support all functions 2 1 1

Education Funding

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total funding per head in real terms was for pupils aged (a) three-10 years and (b) 11–15 years in (i) the City of Newcastle upon Tyne (ii) England, (iii) local education authorities in the North East region and (iv) local education authorities in Tyne and Wear; in each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05.

David Miliband: The figures requested are set out as follows.
	
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Total funding per pupil aged three-10 in real terms 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,530 2,510 2,680 2,930 3,120 3,230 3,460 3,570 
			 England 2,380 2,470 2,630 2,860 3,020 3,100 3,290 3,410 
			 North East 2,240 2,350 2,510 2,750 2,940 3,030 3,270 3,380 
			 Tyne and Wear 2,270 2,370 2,530 2,780 2,960 3,080 3,330 3,430 
			  
			 Total funding per pupil aged 11–15 in real terms 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 3,370 3,470 3,570 3,980 4,280 4,290 4,370 4,530 
			 England 3,260 3,320 3,440 3,730 3,930 4,010 4,080 4,260 
			 North East 3,210 3,270 3,400 3,740 3,990 4,020 4,130 4,290 
			 Tyne and Wear 3,240 3,310 3,430 3,800 4,060 4,080 4,220 4,350

Education Funding

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of per capita education funding in (a) Birmingham and (b) Hodge Hill in each of the next three years.

David Miliband: No specific estimate has been made of per capita education funding in Birmingham in the next three years but I would draw the attention of the hon. Member to the announcement made on 2 December regarding the local government settlement for 2005–06. Information is available on the Teachernet website at the following address http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/schoolfunding/ together with information about the Government's proposals regarding three-year budgets for schools, part of the five-year strategy.

Exeter University

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with Exeter University about the closure of the university's chemistry school; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure (a) on students studying chemistry at the university and (b) on the numbers of chemistry graduates.

Kim Howells: The Secretary of State has not had any direct discussions with Exeter University about the closure of its chemistry department. The Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) is monitoring the situation closely. I understand that the university is working closely with the students to ensure that all their individual needs are met. It has, for example, given assurances that those undergraduates who wish to complete their chemistry course at Exeter will be able to do so. A number of other institutions have also said they are willing to accept transfers if necessary.

Exeter University

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  when and by whom his Department was informed of the proposed closure by Exeter university of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  when the Vice Chancellor of the university of Exeter informed his Department of the proposed closure by Exeter university of its undergraduate chemistry provision;

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  when the Vice Chancellor of the university of Exeter informed his Department of the proposed closure by Exeter university of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  when and by whom his Department was informed of the proposed closure by Exeter university of its undergraduate chemistry provision.

Kim Howells: The Department was informed informally by the Vice-Chancellor of the proposed closure of the chemistry department at Exeter in early November, prior to the formal announcement on 22 November. I met Royal Society of Chemistry on 1 December to discuss the closure and its implications.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England is monitoring the situation closely.

Exeter University

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision on the Government's 10-Year Investment Framework for Science and Innovation.

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the impact of closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision on the Government's 10-Year Investment Framework for Science and Innovation; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I do not at this stage believe that the closure of Exeter University's chemistry department will adversely affect the 10-Year Investment Framework for Science and Innovation. However, as set out in the framework, I have asked HEFCE to set up an expert group, including business and scientific leaders, to review how falling SET provision will affect long-term regional and national economic development, and whether there is a greater role to be played by business, funding councils, HEIs and other stakeholders.
	Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous organisations responsible for their own academic direction and strategic use of funds. HEFCE is monitoring the situation closely.

International Student Assessment Study

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 54W, on the International Student Assessment Study, for what reason an assurance of confidentiality was given to schools invited to co-operate with the OECD PISA study before they decided whether to co-operate.

David Miliband: The National Statistics Code of Practice Protocol on Data Access and Confidentiality, paragraph 2a states:
	"A guarantee of confidentiality will be given, at the time of collection, to respondents to National Statistics surveys and censuses."

International Student Assessment Study

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the reasons for schools' failure to respond to the OECD PISA survey.

David Miliband: Administering the PISA tests and questionnaires is a significant undertaking by schools, and the PISA fieldwork takes place at an important time in the school calendar. I can therefore understand that it is not always a straightforward decision for schools to participate in PISA, and that it is their right to refuse if they wish to. The burden of PISA for schools is an inescapable part of them participating in the study, but we will need to make sure we fully recognise and take account of the difficulties schools face as we plan for PISA 2006.

Learning and Skills Council

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) recurrent and (b) non-recurrent expenditure of the Learning and Skills Council was in 2004–05; and what the estimates are for (i) 2005–06 and (ii) 2006–07.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Literacy/Numeracy

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) Key Stage 2 pupils and (b) Key Stage 3 pupils have reached the required standards in both literacy and numeracy in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: The information requested is placed in the Library.
	Figures for 2004 by parliamentary constituency are not yet available, but will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

Ministerial Meetings

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list his official engagements over the past six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Stephen Twigg: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman regularly provides details of Ministers' public engagements.

Parenting Plan

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects the first Parenting Plan to be approved.

Margaret Hodge: The Government is currently revising the existing Parenting Plans material to include clear examples of good contact arrangements that work well for children of different ages and circumstances. The plans will be published and promoted widely, by April 2005.
	The revised Parenting Plans will provide guidance for families about a range of co-operative parenting arrangements appropriate for families in differing circumstances. They are intended to be used as practical aids, both by parents themselves as well as by solicitors, conciliators and mediators, to assist parents to reach reasonable agreements. They will seek to illustrate what the courts might well decide if the case went to a full hearing. The plans will be available at all points throughout the system—in solicitors' offices as well as through advice and mediation services.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many written questions for his Department were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 Session.

Stephen Twigg: There were no unanswered written questions for this Department when Parliament prorogued.

Pay Bargaining Unit

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in his Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade.

Charles Clarke: My Department reviews its appraisal systems annually and makes changes as appropriate in line with central rules regarding appraisal as set out in Chapter 6 of the Civil Service Management Code. Small changes to simplify the system have been introduced over the last five years. The current appraisal system was introduced in April 2004.
	My Department has one pay bargaining unit with one Grade 7 and one Higher Executive Officer partly employed on pay negotiations. Final negotiating meetings are chaired at Grade 6 or SCS level after the main negotiations are completed. My Department concluded its 3 years pay deal in October 2003.

Pupil Referral Units

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much is being spent on pupil referral units in 2004–05; and what plans he has for (a) creating more pupil referral units and (b) increasing capacity at existing ones.

David Miliband: The expected spend by Local Education Authorities on Pupil Referral Units in 2004/05 is £198,460,713.
	The number of PRU places has risen substantially since 1997. In January 1997 there were 7,530 pupils in PRUs compared to 13,040 in January 2004. The number of PRUs has also risen—there are now more than 440 PRUs compared to only 309 in January 1997.
	LEAs have the power and funding to set up or expand the Pupil Referral Units that they need. We expect them to keep this under review and to use the guidance my Department will be issuing shortly to ensure sufficient good quality provision exists.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Stephen Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skill's special advisers have not had any interviews attributed to them in their official capacity between March 2003 and March 2004. All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether departmental special advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Charles Clarke: Special Advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether departmental special advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997.

Charles Clarke: Any speeches made by special advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Special Schools (Gloucestershire)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many special school places are available in Gloucestershire; and where they are located.

Margaret Hodge: Gloucestershire local education authority, in its School Organisation Plan, identified the number of places available in maintained special schools as follows:
	
		
			 Establishment Name Town Places 
		
		
			 Alderman Knight School Tewkesbury 130 
			 Amberley Ridge School Stroud 70 
			 Battledown Children's Centre Cheltenham 40 
			 Beimont School Cheltenham 120 
			 Bettridge School Cheltenham 100 
			 Cam House School Dursley 60 
			 Coin House School Fairford 70 
			 Dean Hall School Coleford 120 
			 Oakdene School Cinderford 40 
			 Paternoster School Cirencester 53 
			 Sandford School Cheltenham 100 
			 The Milestone School Gloucester 240 
			 The Shrubberies School Stonehouse 70

Special Schools (Gloucestershire)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in special schools in Cheltenham have previously been in mainstream schools.

Margaret Hodge: This information is not collected centrally.

Special Schools (Gloucestershire)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were educated in special schools in Gloucestershire in each of the past eight years.

Margaret Hodge: The numbers of full-time and part-time pupils educated in both maintained and non-maintained special schools in Gloucestershire are given below.
	
		
			  Full time Part time 
		
		
			 1997 1,270 150 
			 1998 1,270 130 
			 1999 1,230 90 
			 2000 1,150 70 
			 2001 1,030 90 
			 2002 1,070 60 
			 2003 990 70 
			 2004 970 60

Staff Redundancies

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the figure of 1,460 job reductions planned for his Department was arrived at; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: My Department's Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners published in July 2004 sets out an ambitious agenda for reform and makes clear that delivery of the Strategy will require a major reform of the Department, one involving a radical transformation of its role and ways of working, changes that will lead to a smaller, more strategic Department. It is in this context that the staffing reduction of 1,460 (31 per cent.) by 2008 was arrived at.

Swimming

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school children are receiving regular swimming lessons at school; and what percentage have passed the swimming qualifications set by the national curriculum in the last five years.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 9 December 2004
	We do not collect the information in the format requested.
	Our Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links strategy, being implemented jointly with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, provides targeted support to enhance school swimming. To date this has included the development of a safe swimming website; the publication of the Swimming Charter which contains guidance and examples of best practice and running two pilots to test the effectiveness of top up swimming lessons for those key stage 2 pupils at risk of not being able to swim the statutory 25 metre target.
	A survey carried out jointly by the Times Educational Supplement and the Central Council for Physical Recreation, published on 1 August 2003 found that 84 per cent., or five in six, pupils are able to safely swim at least 25 metres by the end of key stage 2. This is a modest improvement on the position reported to us by Ofsted in 2000(when 80 per cent., or four in five pupils in England, achieved this target.

Teachers (Pendle)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were employed in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Pendle in each year since 1992.

David Miliband: The following table gives the full time equivalent number of teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in Pendle constituency in each year between 1997 and 2004, the latest year for which constituency level data are available. Information is not available prior to 1997.
	
		
			  Primary Secondary 
		
		
			 1997 360 340 
			 1998 360 340 
			 1999 370 340 
			 2000 360 350 
			 2001 360 360 
			 2002 360 360 
			 2003 360 360 
			 2004 350 350 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10,
	Source:
	Annual School Census

Three-year School Budgets

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation took place with (a) local education authorities, (b) schools and (c) representatives of teachers before the change to three-year school budgets with ring-fenced grants and minimum funding guarantees; and if he will place the consultation document and a summary of responses in the Library.

David Miliband: The Department for Education and Skills has been working closely with representatives of local education authorities, schools, and the teacher unions to further develop the proposals on three year budgets for schools set out in the five year strategy for children and learners. A consultation document will be issued early in the new year: a copy will be placed in the House Library when it is published, as will a summary of the responses after the consultation period has finished.

Training Funding

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research his Department has undertaken to ascertain the willingness of employers to pay for training.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has not commissioned any research specifically to investigate the willingness of employers to pay for training. However, the Learning and Training At Work Survey in 2000 researched how much employers do pay for training and the 2002 report "The Nature of Training and Motivation to Train in Small Firms" by John Kitching and Robert Blackburn contains a section on the barriers to training (including financial barriers). Both reports are in the House of Commons Library.

Vardy Foundation

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether public funds will be awarded to the Vardy Foundation to sponsor academies.

David Miliband: Academies are established by Academy Trusts, Sponsors contribute 10 per cent. of the capital costs of an academy to the Trust, up to a cap of £2 million, from their own funds. The DfES pays the balance of the capital costs to the individual Trust, not to the sponsor, according to a budget agreed with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. I am grateful to The Vardy Foundation for the generous contribution of £2 million towards the capital costs of each of the two academy projects that they are currently sponsoring.

Vocational Education (Barnet)

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to expand vocational education and training for adults in the London Borough of Barnet.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library. The Government's Skills Strategy, 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential (July 2003), set out its plans for increasing opportunities for adults to develop their skills. In addition, the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report last week announced the extension of our Employer Training Pilots to all areas from 2006/07 and a New Deal for Skills to help the unemployed secure the training they need for sustainable employment.

Young People

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what mechanisms have been put in place by his Department to allow regular consultation with young people on all aspects of policy;
	(2)  what process is used by his Department to select young people for consultation on policy.

Margaret Hodge: My Department has carried out a number of major consultations with children and young people on key policy issues. Active involvement of children and young people is an integral part of my department's policy-making process.
	In preparing the Government's Change for Children programme, as set out in 'Every Child Matters', over 3,000 children and young people—who were selected from voluntary organisations and local youth groups—took part in the consultation. A Children and Youth Board has been formed, selected from voluntary organisations and other organisations to ensure children's participation in the design of children's services. Children and Young people will be involved in various ways in the appointment of the Children's Commissioner, including carrying out their own assessment of the candidates.
	My Department provides core funding for the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) and other youth organisations to give expert advice on government policies for children and young people, including the Youth Green paper. The 400 Members of the UK Youth Parliament are elected through local authority (LEA) area-based elections. Through the British Youth Council and other youth groups, young people are actively involved in developing the Government's forthcoming Youth Green paper.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Charities (Trustees)

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which charities have applied for and been granted a waiver of disqualification for a trustee in the last 12 months; and on what grounds in each case.

Fiona Mactaggart: This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the Government department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Director of Legal Services at the Charity Commission will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Gypsies and Travellers

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what ethnic status gypsies and travellers are classified in relation to anti-discrimination legislation.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) protects all individuals from direct and indirect discrimination and victimisation on racial grounds in the fields of employment and training, the provision of goods facilities and services, education, housing and other public authority functions (with certain limited exceptions). "Racial grounds" is defined in the 1976 as meaning on grounds of of colour, race, nationality, or ethnic or national origins, but the Act does not specify which particular groups meet these criteria. That is a matter for the courts. Subsequent case law has established that discrimination in the fields covered by the Race Relations Act against an individual on grounds of being Romany gypsy or Irish traveller constitutes unlawful racial discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin.

Hizb at Tahrir

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the activities of Hizb at Tahrir.

David Blunkett: Hizb ut Tahrir is a political movement active in a number of countries. Its UK branch is a fringe group with extremist views including advocacy of the establishment of an Islamic state. It has attracted very little support from British Muslims.

Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 19 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels on the 19 November 2004.
	A list of 'A' points approved at the Council has been placed in the Library (Document PTS A 5414827/04). Included in these was the formal agreement of the Council Decision appointing the President and members of the European Commission.
	The main discussion at the Council centred around the role and positioning of the Police Chiefs Task Force (PCTF) with a view to strengthening EU operational police co-operation. The Presidency put forward a compromise proposal with the effect that the Task Force will work alongside the Article 36 Committee. I was able to support this compromise proposal as it will allow the Task Force to draw on Europol's analyses and support when planning operations but also allow the chiefs of police to feed in substantive advice and views at a senior level when the Council agrees on strategic priorities on the fight against organised crime. The Council agreed the proposal.
	Over lunch, the EU's Counter Terrorist Co-ordinator (de Vries) updated the Council on the EU's role in the fight against terrorism.
	There was further debate on the Framework Decision on Ship Source Pollution. No conclusion was reached and so this will be discussed again at the December JHA Council.
	The Council also discussed the EU Drugs Strategy 2005–2012. A general approach was agreed by the Council on the Strategy. I look forward to supporting this development of work on the fight to reduce the harm caused by drugs once Parliament has had a chance to properly scrutinise the document.
	The Council agreed the Directive for admitting third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research without substantive discussion. The UK has not opted in to this Directive.
	The Council discussed common principles for integration policy in the EU. The Presidency introduced the draft council conclusions (14776/04 MIGR 105) setting out common basic principles to assist member states in formulating their integration policies. I noted that work in this area would be carried forward during the Luxembourg and UK Presidencies. The text was adopted.

Knives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded offences in which knives were used were committed in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: This information is not collected centrally. The number of offences involving knives are not separated out in the recorded crime statistics. The Homicide Index holds details on the number of homicides where the apparent method of killing was the use of a sharp instrument. The available information from 1998–99 to 2002–03 is given in the table.
	We recognise the problem of knife carrying and are working on a strategy to tackle this.
	
		
			  Number of homicides involving the use of a sharp instrument 
		
		
			 1998–99 202 
			 1999–2000 213 
			 2000–01 214 
			 2001–02 262 
			 2002–03 272

RAF Fairford

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times stop and search powers were used under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by each police authority operating in the vicinity of RAF Fairford during the two periods of authorisation covering 6 March to 27 April 2003.

David Blunkett: Gloucestershire Constabulary has informed me that during the period 6 March to 27 April 2003, 2,254 stop-searches were conducted under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	The authorisation of Section 44 powers was made by Gloucestershire Constabulary, and the related operation was also under the authority of Gloucestershire Constabulary. Therefore, although a number of forces took part in the policing operation at RAF Fairford at this time, all stop-searches that took place are recorded in the statistics provided by that force.
	There is a discrepancy in the figure given above and a figure previously provided to a parliamentary question asked by Adam Price MP that was answered on 15 October 2003. Gloucestershire police then provided the figure of 2,132 section 44 stop-searches conducted between 6 March and 27 April 2003. The force has informed me that the discrepancy between the statistics in the two answers occurred because some stop-searches were omitted from the earlier total in error. The figures have been subject to review and Gloucestershire police has verified the figure given in this answer as accurate.

RAF Fairford

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether swords were seized from protesters at RAF Fairford under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 1994; and whether potentially dangerous weapons were seized from the protesters under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

David Blunkett: As I made clear in my answers to the Home Affairs Committee, the powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 are intended to allow the police to seize offensive weapons where they believe serious violence may take place. I cannot comment further on particular cases, some of which are subject to appeal. I understand that a range of items were seized from protesters using section 60. Contrary to my understanding at the time, I now understand that these did not include swords. During the security operation at RAF Fairford, police took items from 28 people as a result of searches that were conducted under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. These included a kite, white powder, controlled drugs, cameras and camera equipment, and a scanner.

Reoffending

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have absconded from each prison in each of the last five years; and how many have not been recovered.

Paul Goggins: A list of the number of prisoners absconding from open prisons and semi-open prisons in each of the last five years is set out in the table.
	
		Absconds reported from open and semi-open prisons since 1999
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 31 October 2004 Totals 
		
		
			 Open prisons
			 Askham Grange 18 20 19 14 24 18 113 
			 East Sutton Park 1 4 2 0 1 1 9 
			 Drake Hall 103 38 37 — — — 178 
			 Ford 56 69 50 86 127 108 496 
			 Moorland —Hatfield) 43 44 42 41 81 59 310 
			 Morton Hall 23 10 — — — — 33 
			 Hewell Grange 28 24 16 21 25 23 137 
			 Hollesley Bay 13 23 8 14 31 31 120 
			 Kirkham 163 183 154 187 219 138 1044 
			 Leyhill 35 25 17 25 103 89 294 
			 North Sea Camp 30 20 42 30 72 35 229 
			 Norwich —Britannia House) — — — — — 5 5 
			 Prescoed 14 19 5 8 25 27 98 
			 Spring Hill 14 13 14 13 59 33 146 
			 Standford Hill 28 29 36 70 98 33 294 
			 Sudbury 60 72 82 65 77 66 422 
			 Thorn Cross 144 108 128 160 138 74 752 
			 Wealstun 67 90 90 82 157 64 550 
			 Open Totals 840 791 742 816 1237 804 5230 
			 
			 Semi-open prisons
			 Blantyre House 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 
			 Drake Hall — — 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Kirklevington 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 
			 Latchmere House 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 
			 Morton Hall — — 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Semi open totals 0 1 3 3 1 2 10 
		
	
	Open prisons Morton Hall and Drake Hall were re-rolled as semi-open prisons.
	In March 2004 Norwich prison established Britannia House as an open unit
	Figures for those prisoners who remain unlawfully at large cannot be obtained other than at disproportionate cost.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

David Blunkett: All special advisers' contacts with the media, and speeches and presentations made by them are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the 'Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.' A list of the attributable articles and interviews made by my Departmental Special Advisers can not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Stop and Search

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library guidance to police forces following the publication of an ethnic breakdown of stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000 on 2 July 2004.

David Blunkett: The Stop and Search Action Team (SSAT) was launched on 2 July 2004. SSAT is working towards the production of a Stop and Search manual which will include guidance on all Stop and Search powers, including those under the Terrorism Act 2000. Publication of the manual is expected in early 2005 and a copy will be placed in the Library.

UK Visas

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those granted UK work permits were refused entry clearance by UK Visas, broken down by nationality, in the last year for which figures are available.

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the proportion of those granted work permits and refused entry clearance by nationality for the financial year 2003–04 can be found on the UKvisas website www.ukvisas.gov.uk at "Entry Clearance: Facts and Figures", pages 46–54.

Vehicle Searches

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to collect data on the ethnicity of individuals whose vehicles are searched under section 44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

David Blunkett: Details are collected on the ethnicity of those who have been stopped and searched under section 44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	Ethnicity data relating to the use of these powers has most recently been published in table 4.8 in the Home Office publication 'Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2003', published in July 2004, which is available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/section951.html

X-Ray Scanners

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the health implications of the increased usage of x-ray scanners on the general public.

David Blunkett: The Secretary of State for the Home Department takes great care to ensure the safety of any security system deployed by the Home Office on behalf of the public. Public safety is established through the expertise of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), who advise on the implications of using x-ray scanners and other systems. All equipment deployed by the Home Office has to meet strict standards and guidelines set by NRPB. Wherever x-ray equipment is deployed, radiation levels are carefully monitored by suitably qualified scientific staff to ensure the safety of the public.

WORK AND PENSIONS

IT Procurement

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment has been made of his Department's IT procurement strategy.

Chris Pond: The DWP Information Systems and Information Technology strategy was reviewed in 2002, and a new procurement strategy was formulated to support it. In line with Treasury guidance, we have moved away from PFI and are seeking to access a much wider range of suppliers.

National Insurance Numbers

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the issuing of national insurance numbers.

Chris Pond: The vast majority of national insurance numbers are issued to UK-born residents automatically at the age of 15 years and nine months through the juvenile registration process. This process is triggered through a claim to child benefit.
	Adult NINO allocation is administered by Jobcentre Plus. The vast majority of these allocations are to people entering the UK from abroad.

Benefit Calculations

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will reform the housing and council tax benefit rules to exclude pension credit receipts from the calculation of entitlements.

Chris Pond: For people who are in receipt of the guarantee element of pension credit, all of their income and capital is disregarded when their entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit is calculated. This includes the pension credit itself.
	Retaining a capital limit for those not entitled to the guarantee credit element of pension credit helps us ensure that benefit goes to those people who need the most help; we have no plans to change this.

Child Support Agency

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the working of the Child Support Agency.

Chris Pond: The agency now collects over £280 million more in child maintenance than it did in 1997–98. In 2003–04 alone, it collected over £600 million in total.
	We are continuing to work towards improving the services we provide. We have always made it clear that old scheme cases will not be transferred to the new scheme until we are sure that the new arrangements are working well.
	Money continues to flow under the old scheme to children. We are not willing to risk that flow of money and put at risk these cases by bringing them across before we are sure that the new system is robust.

Child Support Agency

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the current length of wait is for assessment by the Child Support Agency once a case has been referred off computer to the manual clerical system.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Bob Spink, dated 13 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current length of wait is for assessment by the CSA once a case has been referred off computer to the manual clerical system.
	Our current estimate is that it takes on average 16 weeks to make a maintenance calculation from the date of initial referral to a clerical case team.

Child Support Agency

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many child support cases the Child Support Agency is dealing with relating to people in Greater London; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Tom Cox, dated 13 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many child support cases the Child Support Agency is dealing with relating to people in Greater London; and if he will make a statement.
	We are unable to provide the information as we do not separately identify those cases that relate to people in the Greater London area.

Atos Origin

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the levels of performance against the key performance targets in respect of Atos Origin for each month since Atos Origin (formerly Schlumberger Sema) was awarded the Benefits Medical Assessment Contract; on how many occasions a financial remedy has been applied to Atos Origin in respect of this contract; how much the financial remedy was on each of these occasions; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Details of the levels of achievement against the key performance targets in each of the three contract packages for the period June 2003 to October 2004 have been placed in the Library.
	Service credits for failure to meet contractual service level targets have been applied as appropriate in each month during the above period.
	Specific details of service credits for failure to meet contractual service level targets are commercial in confidence and not disclosed under part 2, paragraph 13 of the code of practice on access to government information.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates he has made of (a) confirmed, (b) high suspicion and (c) low suspicion (i) fraud and (ii) error since 1997; and if he will place the results in the Library.

Chris Pond: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Benefits

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what safeguards are in place to prevent third parties from making inappropriate withdrawals when collecting benefits from the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Appropriate measures are in place for each method of payment that entitles the customer to obtain their payment of benefit, pension or allowance at the Post Office. Some measures are not disclosed because to do so would reduce their effectiveness. This is in line with part 2, paragraph 4 of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information. Those that are in the public domain include:
	For cheque encashment, evidence of identity is required for all cheques over £100 or where there is any reason to doubt the identity of the person presenting the cheque for payment. Where an agent acting on the customers1 behalf presents a cheque for encashment, the agent must produce identification for both themselves and the payee. Suggested forms of identification are noted on the reverse of the cheque.
	There is provision in the Post Office card account service for a customer to nominate a trusted friend/relative to act as a permanent agent for them for the purpose of withdrawing funds. This person would have their own card and Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access the customer's funds. To enable the customer to identify all withdrawals made by their permanent agent each transaction (including the card number used for each transaction) is shown on the payment statement issued to the customer. Only one permanent agent is permissible for each card account customer and the customer has the option to cancel the arrangement at any time that they wish.

Benefits

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many known drug misusers were receiving (a) invalidity benefit and (b) disability living allowance in 2003–04.

Maria Eagle: Information is not available in the format requested.
	The primary medical diagnosis for each incapacity benefits claimant is recorded. Drug abuse is included as a diagnosis; the available information is in the table. However, this only includes those whose primary diagnosis is drug abuse; it does not include those drug misusers who have other conditions as their primary diagnosis.
	Information is not available for disability living allowance.
	
		Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants with a primary diagnosis of drug abuse
		
			 Quarter ending Number 
		
		
			 31 May 2003 43,800 
			 31 August 2003 45,200 
			 30 November 2003 45,500 
			 29 February 2004 45,700 
			 31 May 2004 46,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Figures include all incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit credits-only cases.
	3. All diagnoses are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, 10 Edition, published by the World Health Organisation.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

Benefits

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has to change the operation of bereavement benefit to permit its payment to common law partners of deceased persons;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of extending bereavement benefit to common law partners of deceased persons.

Chris Pond: We have no plans to extend payment of bereavement benefits to common law partners of deceased persons, nor have we made an estimate of the cost of doing so. A founding principle of the social insurance system is that all rights to benefit derived from another person's contributions are based on the concept of legal marriage.

British Indian Ocean Territories

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the applicability of the habitual residence test to claims for assistance from UK citizens from the British Indian Ocean Territories; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Within the last year, we have received no such representations, other than in the context of litigation. The habitual residence test applies to UK citizens from the British Indian Ocean Territories, as it does to other UK citizens who enter Britain for the first time from outside the common travel area (of the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland) and make an immediate claim for income-related benefits.

Carers

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the rules which prevent payment of carer's allowance and retirement pension at the same time.

Maria Eagle: Carer's allowance, (previously invalid care allowance), has always been subject to the overlapping benefits rules which put into effect one of the principles of the social security system that only one benefit at a time can be paid for the same purpose.
	The reason why carer's allowance and state pension overlap is that they are both directed at providing a benefit for those whose circumstances typically mean that a traditional source of income is no longer available. Carer's allowance replaces income where the carer is over working age or has to give up the chance of working to look after a severely disabled person; state pension replaces income in retirement.
	Although an entitlement to both benefits will mean that carer's allowance is not payable, or not payable in full, an underlying entitlement to carer's allowance gives access to the carer premium in housing benefit and council tax benefit and the additional amount for carers in state pension credit.
	We continue to look at ways of helping both carers and the elderly, although we have no immediate plans to change these arrangements.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 26 October, ref. POS(7)10644/0040, which was passed to the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus; and what the reasons are for the delay in a reply being sent.

Jane Kennedy: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 7 December. I regret the delay which was caused by an administrative error.

Council Tax Benefit

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of administering council tax benefit to (a) central Government and (b) local government in England in the latest year for which figures are available.

Chris Pond: The amount paid by central Government to local authorities in England, for the administration of council tax benefit in 2003–04 was £188,340,000.
	The net current expenditure on administering council tax benefit by local authorities in England in 2003–04 was £235,704,000.
	Because the data reported by authorities do not reflect a uniform accounting standard across authorities, reported expenditure across all authorities may not be directly comparable with the grants paid.

CSA

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what calculation he has made of the effect of delays in the transfer of old cases to the new system by the Child Support Agency on progress towards the Government's poverty targets.

Chris Pond: holding answer 7 December 2004
	Although there have been well publicised difficulties, the Child Support Agency is still collecting £280 million more in child maintenance than it did in 1997–98.
	These difficulties do not affect our assessment that we are broadly on course to meet our PSA target to reduce the number of children in low income households by a quarter by 2004–05.

CSA

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff working for the Child Support Agency in each year since 2001 had been working for the Agency for (a) more than five years, (b) more than two years, (c) more than a year and (d) less than a year.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 13 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff working for the Child Support Agency in each year since 2001 had been working for the Agency for (a) more than five years (b) more than two years (c) more than a year and (d) less than a year.
	The table below provides the figures requested:
	
		
			  Less than one year More than one year More than two years More than five years 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,342 7,845 6,753 4,742 
			 2001–02 1,665 7,806 6,747 4,600 
			 2002–03 1,335 8,952 7,408 4,919 
			 2003–04 967 9,248 8,154 5,250

CSA

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency.

Chris Pond: The Agency now collects over £280 million more in child maintenance than it did in 1997/98. In 2003/04 alone, it collected over £600 million in total.
	We have acknowledged problems with the new IT. The Agency is working with EDS to resolve those problems. Work to stabilise the system is underway and this has already brought about improvements. We expect the remedial work to be complete in spring 2005.
	We want people who are still on the old scheme to experience the advantages of the reforms as soon as possible. But we are determined not to repeat the mistakes of 1993 when the old scheme was brought in far too quickly.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Chris Pond: The energy costs incurred by the Department for Work and Pensions in the last two years are as shown in the following table.
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Electricity 13,869,498 15,075,730 
			 Gas 4,764,390 4,932,292 
			 Oil 417,694 409,999 
		
	
	This Department occupies approximately 1,800 buildings.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years.

Maria Eagle: There have been no refurbishments to the Department for Work and Pensions ministerial offices in the last two years.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total external spending by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not record information about the use of PFI consultants in the form requested and an answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Jane Kennedy: The total cost to the Department for Work and Pensions of the use of external management and IT consultants was £141.0 million in 2002–03 and £306.7 million in 2003–04.
	The increased consultancy costs have principally been met from specifically allocated modernisation funds not from normal running cost allocations.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not record information about the use of public private partnership (PPP) consultants in the form requested and an answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Disabled People (Scotland)

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in Midlothian were in receipt of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in 2003–04; and how much was paid to them in total;
	(2)  how many people are in receipt of attendance allowance in the constituency of Midlothian.

Maria Eagle: In 2003–04 in the parliamentary constituency of Midlothian, around 1,600 people received attendance allowance and around 4,100 people received disability living allowance at August 2003. The total paid for both benefits was approximately £16 million pounds.
	Notes.
	(1) Figures based on a 5 per cent. sample of disability living allowance and attendance allowance cases and average amounts paid. (2) The numbers of people receiving benefits is rounded to the nearest 100 and are based on figures as at August 2003. Figures for 2004–05 on the same basis are not currently available, but should be available in January 2005. (3) The expenditure figure is rounded to the nearest £ million.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Chris Pond: The relevant European Union directives and regulations are in the following list. Information on the cost to public funds is generally not held and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost but, where this information is available, it has been included. Departments are required to produce regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) for proposals, including those originating in European legislation, likely to impose costs on business, charities or voluntary organisations. Copies of these are available in the Library, and on departmental websites.
	Health and safety provisions
	Council Directive 199/45/EEC—The Dangerous Preparations Directive
	Commission Directive 2000/32/EEC—26th Adaptation to Council Directive 67/548/EEC (Dangerous Substances Directive)
	Commission Directive 2000/33/EEC—27th Adaptation to Council Directive 67/548/EEC (Dangerous Substances Directive)
	Commission Directive 2001/58/EEC—2nd Amendment to Commission Directive 91/155/EEC (Safety Data Sheets Directive)
	Commission Directive 2001/60/EEC—1st Adaptation to Council Directive 1999/45/EEC (Dangerous Preparations Directive)
	The above set out a framework for the classification and labelling of dangerous chemicals to indicate hazards to people and the environment. Their purpose is to protect the environment, consumers and workers and to enable a single European Market in chemicals.
	Commission Directive 2001/59/EEC—28th Adaptation to Council Directive 67/548/EEC (Dangerous Substances Directive). Introduced a less costly notification process.
	Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work. Included rights to take action for breaches of obligations.
	Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (fourteenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)
	Directive 1999/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1999 on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres (15th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)
	Council Directive 1999/38/EC of 29 April 1999 amending for the second time Directive 90/394/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work and extending it to mutagens
	Commission Directive 2002/50/EC of 6 June 2002 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 1999/36/EC on transportable pressure equipment (Text with EEA relevance)
	Commission Regulation (EC) No 2032/2003 of 4 November 2003 on the second phase of the 10-year work programme referred to in Article 16(2) of Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1896/2000 (Text with EEA relevance.) After 14 December 2003, only products with registered active ingredients can be placed on the market.
	Regulation (EC) No 304/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 concerning the export and import of dangerous chemicals (Text with EEA relevance).
	Disability provisions
	Parts of Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation. Some of the disability discrimination aspects of the directive fell to DWP to implement. For these aspects, costs to Government as the employer of police and prison officers newly covered by the employment duties of the Disability Discrimination Act are estimated at around £90,000 recurring and £30,000 one-off costs, and recurring costs to Government as the body responsible for the Tribunal Service are estimated at around £0.4 million in connection with an estimated increased level of complaints to tribunal.
	Migrant worker provisions
	Council Regulation (EC) 859/2003 of 14 May 2003 extending the provisions of Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 and Regulation (EEC) 574/72 to cover nationals of third countries who are not already covered by those provisions solely on the ground of their nationality. These regulations remove barriers to free movement of workers within the Community and provide for the coordination of member states' social security systems.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend (the Minister for Europe) gave on 29 November 2004, Official Journal, column 10W.

Health and Safety

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to bring forward proposals to remove Crown immunity in relation to safety in the workplace, with particular reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government stand by their commitment to remove Crown immunity from statutory health and safety enforcement. We will do this as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
	In the meantime the Health and Safety Executive continues to enforce health and safety requirements in Crown bodies and applies the Crown censure procedure, where, but for Crown immunity, prosecution would have been justified.

Health and Safety

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representation there is from manufacturing industry on the Health and Safety Commission.

Jane Kennedy: Three of the members of the Health and Safety Commission were appointed following consultation with employers' organisations. Of these Ms Judith Hackitt is the Director General of the Chemical Industries Association (CIA). The CIA represents the chemical and chemistry-using industries, which includes manufacturing processes. Three members were appointed following consultation with employees' organisations. Of these Daniel Carrigan is the assistant General Secretary of trade union Amicus. Amicus represents the skilled trades in manufacturing.

Housing Benefit (Redirection)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which and what percentage of local authorities have yet to implement an agreement with the post office not to redirect housing benefit payments; and what plans he has to make such agreements mandatory for all local authorities.

Chris Pond: Of the 408 local authorities administering housing benefit, four have yet to make contractual arrangements with the Royal Mail for the introduction of the scheme to not redirect benefit post. This is less than 1 per cent. of local authorities.
	Two of these four authorities are working towards implementing the Do Not Redirect scheme; East Hertfordshire council will be implementing the scheme within the next few weeks, while North West Leicestershire district council expects to begin implementation in the new year. One authority, Ellesmere Port and Neston borough council, had previously implemented the scheme, but has since withdrawn because of concerns about the cost effectiveness of the scheme. The Council of the Isles of Scilly, which has fewer than 100 claimants, has not implemented the scheme. This too is because of cost-effectiveness issues.
	Given the very small rate of non participation, we have no plans to make such agreements mandatory, but will continue to encourage the remaining authorities to participate.

Incapacity Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of new claimants of incapacity benefit in each year since 1997 were already in receipt of another benefit; and what proportion were new benefit claimants.

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		All incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance commencements each year by whether a new entrant to benefit or an existing beneficiary -- Thousand and percentage
		
			  All IB/SDA commencements New entrants to benefit Percentage of new entrants Existing beneficiaries(16)(2) Percentage of existing beneficiaries 
		
		
			 1 June 1996–31 May 1997 943.0 519.0 55.0 424.0 45.0 
			 1 June 1997–31 May 1998 856.2 505.5 59.0 350.7 41.0 
			 1 June 1998–31 May 1999 798.0 486.8 61.0 311.2 39.0 
			 1 June 1999–31 May 2000 763.0 462.5 60.6 300.5 39.4 
			 1 June 2000–31 May 2001 750.9 456.7 60.8 294.2 39.2 
			 1 June 2001–31 May 2002 697.8 435.4 62.4 262.4 37.6 
			 1 June 2002–31 May 2003 691.0 429.5 62.2 261.5 37.8 
			 1 June 2003–31 May 2004 640.1 399.2 62.4 240.8 37.6 
		
	
	(16) Other benefits in this instance are income support (IS), jobseeker's allowance (JSA) and pension credit (PC).
	(17) Figures for existing beneficiaries in receipt of other benefits are where the IB/SDA claimant has had a claim to one of those benefits cease in the 91 days prior to the IB/SDA start date or has a continuing IS/PC claim at the time of the IB/SDA commencement (excluding cases where the IB/SDA and IS/PC claims are made at the same time eg within the same week).
	(2)
	Notes:
	1. Case load figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Figures are based on persons claiming severe disablement allowance (SDA), long term or short term incapacity benefit (IB), credits only, and those persons claiming IB but who have their benefit extinguished for reasons such as an overlap with another benefit, or because of hospitalisation.
	4. A person is counted only once in each year, regardless of the number of times they claim and subsequently leave each benefit.
	5. SDA is not available to new claimants from 6 April 2001.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.

Industrial Injuries

Liz Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish his response to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council Report on prescribed disease A11.

Jane Kennedy: The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council published its report on Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome in July 2004. We have accepted the principal recommendation that the terms of prescription for prescribed disease A11 (Vibration White Finger) be extended to include sensor neural symptoms, in addition to the existing vascular symptoms.
	The regulatory changes required to implement the recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council relating to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome are currently being worked on. It is intended that the new regulations will come into force in April 2005.

IT Systems

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the written answer of 1 December 2004 , Official Report, column 177W, on IT systems, what the estimated cost is of the Customer Information System; and who the supplier is.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has engaged Accenture as the Information Technology Solution Provider for the Customer Information System. Accenture has to date been awarded contracts for the design and development of the system.
	The implementation date and cost of the system can be found in the Departmental Report which is available in the Library and on the Internet at:http://www.dwp.gsi.gov.uk/about dwp/dept reports.htm

Job Vacancies (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unfilled job vacancies there are at job centres in the London borough of Wandsworth.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 13 December 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning unfilled vacancies in Jobcentre Plus offices within the London Borough of Wandsworth. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The figures are as follows:
	
		Numbers of unfilled vacancies recorded at Jobcentres and Jobcentre Plus offices as on 29 October 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Balham Irene House 570 
			 Battersea 1,050 
			 Bermondsey 240 
			 Brixton 480 
			 Brixton Hill 540 
			 Camberwell Green 320 
			 Clapham Common 300 
			 Clapham Junction 900 
			 Kennington Park 380 
			 London Bridge 1,680 
			 Peckham 540 
			 Putney 620 
			 Stockwell 220 
			 Streatham 910 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Vacancy Database, Management Information
	The figures above relate to the Jobcentre/Jobcentre Plus office which has been designated as 'owning' those vacancies. However, all Jobcentre Plus vacancies are available for jobseeker's to view via JobPoints and the Internet as well as their local office.
	I hope this is helpful.

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension credit awards have been made to couples; and in how many cases the payment has been made to (a) the man and (b) the woman.

Malcolm Wicks: At 31 October, 565,485 pension credit awards had been made to couples. In 447,635 cases the claimant was male and in 117,850 cases the claimant was female.
	Note:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Pensions

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Hendon were receiving the (a) guarantee and (b) savings element pension credit on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is given in the following table.
	
		Pension credit recipients, Hendon, 31 October 2004
		
			  Households Individuals 
		
		
			 Pension credit total 4,085 4,855 
			 Guarantee element only 2,120 2,565 
			 Guarantee element and savings  element 1,450 1,655 
			 Savings element only 515 635 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Figures are available for 31 October 2004 as the final output of processes that were put in place to deliver special monthly reporting during the first year of the roll-out of pension credit. As Parliament was told in the statement accompanying the last such report, data will in future be available on a quarterly basis, in line with standard departmental practice. The next report, covering data as at 31 December 2004, should be laid in the House in January 2005.
	3. Individual recipients may include a small number of partners under age 60

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the appropriate printed output that is generated by the Pension Service Teleclaims Call Centre when a claimant does not want their retirement pension paid directly into an account, as set out in the Informed Choice script revised on 8 November.

Malcolm Wicks: Following a telephone claim for state pension, a completed claim form is sent to the customer, with a covering letter, for them to check, sign and return to the appropriate pension centre. A customer who is unable to open or manage an account is then contacted to arrange payment by cheque. An anonymous example of the letter and claim form (Form BR1(S)—'Claim for Retirement Pension') has been placed in the Library.

Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure computerised pension and benefit payments are made over the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: Direct payment instructions are sent electronically in advance of a customer's due date for payment of their benefit or pension. Payments are then credited direct into the customer's nominated account on the day the customer is due to receive their benefit or pension.
	For customers paid by direct payment, we are maintaining the principle that if a person's benefit or pension is due on a bank holiday, they will have access to their money in advance. Customers paid direct into a bank, building society or post office card account will have their payments made available on the previous banking working day when payment is due on a bank holiday.
	As financial institutions (including post offices) will be closed on 27 and 28 December 2004 and 3 January (and 4 January in Scotland) 2005, payments due over the bank holiday periods will therefore be credited into accounts at the start of the working day on Friday 24 and Friday 31 December 2004 respectively.

Pensions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will link the basic state pension to earnings.

Malcolm Wicks: Our priority is to help the poorest pensioners. In order to do so, we will be spending around £10 billion extra in 2004–05 on pensioners as a result of measures, including pension credit, introduced since 1997 and nearly 50 per cent., of the extra spending will go to the poorest pensioners.
	Pension credit ensures no single pensioner will have to live on less than £105.45 per week in 2004–05, while rewarding those with modest savings. In addition to uprating the basic state pension by more than the rate of inflation in previous years, we have also introduced winter fuel payments that are worth up to £200, with an additional payment of up to £100 where there is an eligible person aged 80 or over. Free TV licences are available to people aged 75 and over and we have introduced an additional payment of £100 for this year for eligible households with someone over the age of 70. A payment of £50 will go to similar eligible households for next year.
	This means that we will have given pensioners £7 billion more than an earnings link would have given them. The practical effect of our measures is that, on average, the poorest third of pensioner households are £36 per week better off.

Pensions

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the financial assistance fund announced on 14 May by his Department to assist workers who have lost out in pension wind-ups will be operational; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement issued 2 December 2004, Official Report, column 65WS which announced further details on the Financial Assistance Scheme.

Pensions

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the pension rights of women.

Malcolm Wicks: Since coming to office in 1997 we have taken significant action to improve the pensions of women and we are continuing to do so. We are tackling the legacy of past inequalities in society and the pension system through Pension Credit, lifting 1.3 million women pensioners out of absolute poverty. As the Pensions Commission recognised, "a number of recent changes in the state system will improve the future position of female pensioners". We intend to continue to make progress and have undertaken to publish a report on women and pensions next year.

Pensions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many organisations in Leeds applied to join the Pension Service Partnership Fund; and how much has been awarded to them.

Malcolm Wicks: The Pension Service Partnership Fund is a unique scheme to enhance and build on our working relationships with the Government's partners in the voluntary and community sector, including local authorities.
	18 organisations operating in Leeds applied for funding from the Pension Service Partnership Fund.
	I will shortly be providing the House with a written statement regarding the award of contracts from the Pension Service Partnership Fund.

Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 
	(1)  how many women claiming pension credit had inadequate contributions to their National Insurance basic state pensions in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  for how many women claiming pension credit who had inadequate contributions to the National Insurance basic state pensions the shortfall was (a) £70-£79, (b) £60-£69, (c) £50-£59, (d) £40-£49, (e) £30-£39, (f) £20-£29, (g) £10-£19 and (h) 0-£9.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.

Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) male and (b) female pensioners drawing the basic state pension draw the (i) full and (ii) partial amount; and what the main reasons are for (A) male and (B) female pensioners drawing less than the full amount.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of (a) male and (b) female pensioners receiving the (i) full basic state pension and (ii) a basic state pension at less than the full rate as at 31 March 2004 is in the table:
	
		
			  Male Female 
		
		
			 Full basic state pension 3,486,000 3,162,500 
			 Basic state pension at less than the  full rate 400,200 3,299,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3. A full basic state pension, £77.45 in 2003–04, is paid to those who fully satisfy the contribution conditions either in their own right or where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's contributions.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample
	Basic state pension is paid at less than the full rate to those who do not achieve the requisite number of qualifying years needed and to married women who are entitled on the basis of their husbands' contributions.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means a pensioner who receives his basic state pension payments into a bank account can begin having payments made into a different nominated account; what the target time is by which his Department aims to switch such payments to his new account; how many pensioners have requested this action in each of the last 12 months; and what (a) number and (b) percentage of these have successfully had their payments switched within (i) one week, (ii) one month, (iii) two months and (iv) three months or more of the initial request.

Malcolm Wicks: Customers who receive State Pension by direct payment can change their nominated account by providing details of the new account to The Pension Service in writing, although some are able to do so by telephone. New procedures will shortly be introduced whereby all customers can change their account details by telephone, subject to satisfactory checks as to identity. There are no targets for the time taken to change a customer's account details; guidance to staff requires that action on such changes should commence immediately and we aim to effect changes as soon as possible. Data on the numbers of changes and the time taken to effect them are not held in the form requested.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost in each of the 10 financial years from 2006–07, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional income tax revenues, of paying from April 2006 (a) a basic state pension to all single people aged 75 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for single people regardless of contribution record and (b) a basic state pension to all couples where one or both partners is aged 75 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for couples, with that pension being indexed to earnings in subsequent years, and assuming that the savings credit is abolished for those aged 75 or above.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1461W.

Poverty Indicators

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in developing the new material deprivation indicator for measuring child poverty; what consultation has taken place on the development of the new material deprivation indicator; whether further consultation is planned; what research his Department has commissioned to inform the development of the new material deprivation indicator; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the experience of using a material deprivation indicator to measure poverty in other EU countries.

Chris Pond: During 2005 scoping work will be carried out to investigate the different methodologies that can be used to construct material deprivation measures. This will include reviewing the methods used in other countries including those in the EU. Baseline data for the material deprivation element of the child poverty measure will not be available until 2006.
	The document "Measuring child poverty" sets out a number of research reports which were commissioned in order to inform the development of the material deprivation measure. These include: McKay and Collard, (2004) "Developing Family Resources Survey Questions", DWP working paper no. 13; Berthoud and Bardasi, (2004) "The dynamics of deprivation and the relationship between income and material deprivation overtime" DWP research report no. 219; and Calandrino, M., (2003) "Low income and deprivation in British Families", DWP working paper 10.
	All reports have are available in the Library. We do not plan to undertake a further formal consultation on the construction of the material deprivation indicator.

Poverty Indicators

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the distribution of poverty by (a) region and (b) housing tenure to inform the development of the new material deprivation indicator;
	(2)  whether his Department intends to follow the recommendation in the report The Dynamics of Deprivation to conduct further research into the relationship between material deprivation and housing tenure.

Chris Pond: The document Households Below Average Income provides data on the household tenure of those in low income and shows that those living in local authority or housing association accommodation were more likely to live in low-income households than other tenure types. It also shows that individuals living in Inner London and the North East are more likely to live in low-income households.
	The new material deprivation measure will collect data on deprivation items and has a higher 70 per cent. income threshold, and as such it will capture most families who use a large proportion of their disposable income to pay high housing costs.
	This means that many families will be counted as poor for the first time because they are seen to be deprived—even if their income is above the cash poverty line. The quality of housing will be directly measured as part of material deprivation indicators, and will include housing that is poorly repaired, overcrowded or cold.
	Housing is an important part of the Government's overall strategy on poverty and social exclusion. Our annual Opportunity for all report monitors the proportion of children in non-decent homes, and from this year, includes a new indicator monitoring the proportion of families with children in temporary accommodation.
	We recognise the continuing interest in income after housing costs. Households Below Average Income will continue to publish results both for income before housing costs and income after housing costs. The after housing cost data will continue to be published in "Opportunity for all".
	We do not plan to undertake further research on housing tenure and material deprivation.
	Copies all of documents are available in the Library.

Poverty Indicators

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of children who would need to be removed from material deprivation for the Government to meet its target of reducing child poverty by half by 2010–11;
	(2)  how the Government intends to measure progress against its child poverty target (a) before and (b) after the material deprivation indicator is announced.

Chris Pond: Baseline data for the material deprivation element of the child poverty measure will not be available until 2006. Therefore it is not possible to anticipate how many children will need to be lifted out of poverty using the new material deprivation measure.
	The technical note setting out details of how the child poverty PSA target announced in the 2004 spending review will be measured has now been published on the DWP website at www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2004/psa/tech_note_2005_2008.paf and on the HM Treasury websites. We have made a clear commitment to set a target on the new material deprivation measure in the 2006 spending review when data on material deprivation become available. All of these targets will need to be met for us to have fully realised our ambition to halve child poverty by 2010.
	We will continue to report progress on the target to decrease the number of children living in relative low income by 2004–05. Final data for this target will be published in 2006.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Maria Eagle: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.
	Between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 the special advisers for the Department for Work and Pensions did not give any attributable interviews to newspapers, journals, books or other media in their official capacity.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Maria Eagle: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.
	Between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, the special advisers of the Department for Work and Pensions did not make any attributable articles or contributions to newspapers, journals, books or other media in their official capacity.

State Second Pension

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the state second pension and its impact on women.

Malcolm Wicks: For the first time we now have a system that helps more women build up a decent second pension.
	State second pension provides an additional pension for low earners, including carers and disable people—the very people who were excluded from the previous (SERPS) scheme.
	State second pension will lift the incomes of generations of future female pensioners. Latest data from the Family Resources shows that around 12.2 million of working age are accruing the state second pension, compared to 13.4 million men.

Timber

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions currently has no plans to fund the establishment and maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. Timber is supplied by our Estates Partners, Land Securities Trillium, who are required to provide evidence that it is legal and sustainable. This evidence is then subject to independent audit and verification.

Vibration White Finger

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will implement the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in relation to vibration white finger.

Jane Kennedy: The regulatory changes required to implement the recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council relating to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (commonly known as Vibration White Finger) are currently being worked on. It is intended that the new regulations will come into force in April 2005.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many single (a) women and (b) men in 2004 will reach the age of 60 years after the qualifying week for winter fuel payment eligibility but before 25 December.

Malcolm Wicks: It is estimated that around 25,000 single women and 19,000 single men in Great Britain will reach the age of 60 after the qualifying week but before 25 December.
	Notes:
	1. Numbers have been calculated using the latest available 2003 Government Actuary Department Population Projections and Office for National Statistics data from the Mid-2003 Marital Status Estimates and the FM1 historical series of Live Births: Month of Occurrence for 1944–45. 2. People recorded in the Marital Status Estimates as being widowed or divorced have been included as being single. 3. People co-habiting are recorded as being single.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people disqualified from receiving a 2004–05 winter fuel payment on the grounds that during the qualifying week they were in hospital receiving free in-patient treatment and had been receiving such treatment for more than 52 weeks; and how many of those disqualified on those grounds have been discharged from hospital since the qualifying week.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people eligible for a 2004–05 winter fuel payment who needed to make a claim; and how many of that number have so far claimed.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that approximately 700,000 individuals in Great Britain reached age 60 in the qualifying period for the 2004–05 winter fuel payment. About half of these have been paid automatically but others, who are not in receipt of certain benefits, will need to make a claim.
	On 3 of December, 318,215 claim forms had been received.

TREASURY

Breast Cancer

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of female breast cancer there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Charles Hendry, dated 13 December 2004
	.
	The latest year for which figures on newly diagnosed cases of cancer are available is 2001. The number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in females registered in England, for the 10 years 1992–2001 are given in the table below.
	
		Number of newly diagnosed cases of breast(18) cancer in females in England, 1992–2001
		
			  Number of cases 
		
		
			 1992 29,665 
			 1993 28,618 
			 1994 29,490 
			 1995 29,904 
			 1996 30,412 
			 1997 31,380 
			 1998 32,908 
			 1999 34,176 
			 2000 33,829 
			 2001 34,347 
		
	
	(18) Newly diagnosed cases between 1995 and 2001, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C50; newly diagnosed cases between 1992 and 1994, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 174.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Census

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase penalties for failing to complete a census form.

Stephen Timms: There are currently no plans to increase penalties for failing to complete a census form.
	The penalty for failing to complete a census form is prescribed by Section 8(1) of the Census Act 1920 which states that on summary conviction a person shall be liable for a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
	The maximum fine of level 3 on the standard scale under the Criminal Justice Act 1982 was £1,000 at the time of the 2001 Census.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the past two years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is as follows:
	HM Treasury
	HMT have not commissioned any new builds, demolition and rebuilds or any such works as part of PFI projects for the last two years. Work on the offices occupied by the Treasury was completed in July 2002.
	Inland Revenue, HM Customs and Excise and Valuation Office Agency
	IR, HM C&E and VOA have not commissioned any new builds, demolition and rebuilds directly. The departments have eight estates PFIs—an extension to the Newcastle Estate Development PFI, four new buildings, a restaurant and car park were all commissioned in October 2002. The Inland Revenue will occupy two and half of these buildings. The total cost of this work was £45 million, the Department's share being approximately £28 million. This will be paid over 25 years through a contract facility price.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the past two years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is as follows:
	HM Treasury
	HMT have not carried out any building refurbishments in the past two years. Work on the offices occupied by the Treasury was completed July 2004.
	Inland Revenue, HM Customs and Excise and Valuation Office Agency
	In April 2001 the majority of buildings owned or occupied by IR, HM Customs and Excise and VOA were sold and transferred to Mapeley as part of the STEPS PFI Contract. Refurbishment work is carried out as part of this contract, some included within lifecycle works which are the responsibility of Mapeley and not relevant to this question, and the rest as work commissioned over and above lifecycle by the departments. The departments do not at this time have the data required to answer this question and could do so only at disproportionate cost. Outside of the STEPS Contract the departments have seven other PFIs. The refurbishment for Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise's move to Government Offices Great George Street (GOGGS) has a total capital cost of £182 million including construction, and Exchequer Partnership funding and project costs. The cost to the departments is £17.1 million per annum at March 2002 prices over 33 years.

Email

Francis Maude: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to introduce an automatic e-mail notification facility for all announcements and publications issued by his Department and those public bodies reporting to him.

Stephen Timms: The Government Actuary's Department and HM Treasury offer website users the opportunity to subscribe to mailing lists giving notification of news releases about those announcements and publications thought to be of particular interest. National Savings and Investments and the Office for National Statistics intend to introduce e-mail notification next year.
	HM Customs and Excise offers website users customised e-mail alerts and a document tracking tool that allows users to receive alerts when specific content changes. Media contacts can subscribe to an email list of news releases issued on behalf of Government Departments on the Government News Network website, the system used by Inland Revenue to send email newswire alerts.
	The Valuation Office Agency, the Royal Mint and the Office of Government Commerce do not currently use automatic e-mail notification, but continue to keep their means of communication with the public under review.

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his official engagements over the past six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Gordon Brown: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

EU Accounting Practices

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with Marta Andreasen on accounting practices in the EU during the last year.

Stephen Timms: None.

EU Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of EU funding to the European Parties Elections and Referendums Network was in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The European Parties Elections and Referendums Network is coordinated by the University of Sussex's European Institute which has been designated a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. Budget line 15 02 01 01 provides support for Jean Monnet Centres for Excellence—among other activities—and had total outturn of €3.1 million (£2.2 million 1 ) in 2003. We do not have a breakdown of funding by recipient.
	1 Converted at the average annual rate for 2003 of £1 = €1.4320

EU Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a list of UK-based NGOs which received funding from the European Union in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) project and (b) budget line used;
	(2)  if he will list UK think tanks which received support from the European Union budget in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) location and (b) funding received; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The European Union directly supports the running costs of NGOs and think tanks through a number of budget lines. The outturns for these budget lines in 2003 is given in the following table (we do not have a breakdown by recipient or project).
	
		
			 Budget line  2003 outturn 
			 Number Title  €000(19) 
		
		
			 04 05 03 Women's organisations 277 193 
			 15 02 01 06 Study and research centre 1,336 933 
			 15 04 01 03 Subsidy for cultural organisations advancing the idea of Europe 4,223 2,949 
			 15 06 01 01 Measures in favour of civil society 2,805 1,959 
			 15 06 01 03 Grants to European think tanks and organisations advancing the idea of Europe 2,014 1,406 
			 15 06 01 04 Associations and federations of European interest 1,250 873 
			 15 06 01 05 European think tanks 398 278 
			 15 07 01 02 Support for international nongovernmental youth organisations 1,700 1,187 
			 19 02 02 Institutes specialising in relations between the European Union and third countries 1,353 945 
		
	
	(19) Converted at the average annual rate for 2003 of £1 = €1.4320
	UK-based think tanks and NGOs are eligible for funding from all of the budget lines above. Organisations seeking funding from these budget lines submit their bids directly to the Commission and are not required to send copies to member state governments.
	NGOs may also apply for grants from other EU expenditure programmes to undertake specific projects. Bids for EU grants are submitted directly to the Commission and there is no requirement that copies of the bids are sent to member state governments.

EU Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a break down of expenditure incurred in the last EU financial year available for budget lines (a) 3701 and (b) 3710; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on continued funding of these lines.

Stephen Timms: In 2003 the outturn for budget line 3701 was €37.7 million (£26.3 million 1 ). No payments were made under budget line 3710 in 2003. Both lines are contained in the European Parliament's administration budget and set on an annual basis by the European Parliament itself.
	1 Converted at the average annual rate for 2003 of £1=€1.4320

Productivity

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Office for National Statistics and (b) the Department of Trade and Industry in relation to the calculation of the Treasury's measurement of an underlying trend rate of productivity growth on an output per hour worked basis.

Stephen Timms: In assessing the underlying trend rate of productivity growth, on an output per hour worked basis, the Treasury uses data sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on real non-oil output (Gross Value Added) and total actual weekly hours worked (from the Labour Force Survey). The Treasury shares a joint Public Service Agreement Target with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on increasing the productivity of the economy. So Treasury officials have regular discussions with ONS officials on data issues and with DTI officials on measuring progress on the joint target. The latest numbers are available in Table A2 of the 2004 pre-Budget report (p. 169).

Retirement Age

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single (a) women and (b) men will reach the age of 60 years between 26 September and 25 December.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 13 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of single women and single men who will reach the age of 60 between 26 September and 25 December. I am replying in his absence. (204054)
	It is estimated that there will be 25 thousand 'single' women and 19 thousand 'single' men who will reach the age of 60 between these dates in 2004 in Great Britain. For these purposes we have interpreted 'single' to mean not-married. This includes people whose legal marital status is single (never married), widowed, and divorced.
	These figures are estimates. They are based on the latest available, 2003 based national population projections for 2004 produced by the Government Actuary's Department, and allowing for an estimate of the expected number of deaths. The pattern of births in 1944/1945 has been used to give an estimate for the dates shown. Finally, the 2003 marital status estimates have been used to give an estimate of the number who are 'single' i.e. not-married.

Tax Credits

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of overpayment for child and working tax credit there have been in Coventry.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.

Tax Credits

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of those eligible who do not claim the child care element of the working tax credit; what average amount they are estimated to lose; and what the estimated saving to the Exchequer of failure to claim was in the last period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 9 June 2004, Official Report, column 473W.
	At July 2004, 340,000 families were benefiting from the child care element of the working tax credit, nearly 90 per cent. higher than the number benefiting under the working families' and disabled person's tax credits and seven times the number benefiting under family credit.

US Treasury Bonds

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value was of US Treasury bonds held by (a) the Bank of England, (b) the UK Government, (c) UK Reserves and (d) UK banks, expressed in (i) US dollars and (ii) pounds sterling (A) in January 2003, (B) in January 2004 and (C) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: Details of the United Kingdom Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity Template are published monthly on the Bank of England's website, meeting the International Monetary Fund's "Special Data Dissemination Standard". This includes a breakdown of reserve assets, however, data to the level of disaggregation asked for is considered to be market sensitive and is therefore not publicly available.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Cross-examination

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, 
	(1)  what his assessment is of the powers of a judge to prevent a party to family proceedings against whom there is an allegation of (a) domestic violence and (b) sexual abuse from cross-examining the other party about such allegations;
	(2)  what plans he has to prevent any party in a family case who faces an allegation of domestic violence or sexual abuse from cross-examining the other party.

Christopher Leslie: I believe that the wide discretion afforded to judges in hearing family proceedings gives them sufficient powers to ensure that victims can be protected from intrusive and unfair questioning by the defendant in family proceedings. Judges that are ticketed to hear family cases will have undergone training. They can offer assistance in how questions are framed and how evidence is presented. The judge also has an inherent power to admit evidence at the trial if he considers that it is in the interests of justice to do so.
	Under Order 20, rule 8 of the County Court Rules 1981 and Order 38, rule 3 of the Rules of the Supreme Court 1965, the court may, at or before the hearing of any action, order that evidence of any particular fact shall be given at the trial in such manner as may be specified by the order. This would allow the court to use special measures type facilities such as screens and TV links where they are available. A letter to county courts will be sent shortly to remind them of the need to make known to victims any special facilities that are available in the court and a poster will be provided to raise awareness of these Facilities. victims any special facilities that are available in the court and a poster will be provided to raise awareness of these Facilities.

Energy Disconnections

Greg Pope: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many applications for warrants for energy disconnection under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, were (a) granted, (b) refused and (c) verified by magistrates courts in England and Wales in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004;
	(2)  how many applications for energy disconnection under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, were granted by each magistrates court in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

Christopher Leslie: Completed cases information is provided by magistrates courts to my Department but it is not provided in sufficient detail to identify cases that resulted from specific legislation. To obtain this information from the individual magistrates courthouses could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) does collect pertinent data for England, Wales and Scotland and they are provided in the following table. It should be noted that disconnection is a last resort and that in particular, vulnerable customers are offered alternative means of payment.
	
		
			  Number of customers disconnected on a warrant visit Number of prepayment meters installed on a warrant visit 
		
		
			 Electricity   
			 2002 818 18,210 
			 2003 1,377 16,857 
			 January-September 2004 565 14,064 
			
			 Gas   
			 2002 21,633 18,093 
			 2003 15,836 13,202 
			 January-September 2004 1,984 6,763

Energy Disconnections

Greg Pope: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance is given to magistrates on ensuring that each warrant application for energy disconnection made under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, receives a rigorous and consistent verification; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The responsibility for training magistrates, and the legal advisers who advise them, currently rests with the 42 Magistrates Courts' Committees (MCC)s. Each MCC has its own procedures and advice to applicants, magistrates and legal advisers for dealing with such applications. These may vary between areas, but all will require applications to be made in the courthouse, and either in the presence of a legal adviser, or with a legal adviser in attendance to give advice if required.
	The Judicial Studies Board advises nationally on training for magistrates. Although the JSB has given no direct guidance or advice on right of entry or disconnection warrants, it did include applications for these warrants as part of its training material on the Human Rights Act. The exercise dealt with issues of "fair trial" and "proportionality". It is likely that as a result of that MCCs reviewed their procedures to ensure that they complied with the Human Rights Act.

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

David Lammy: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's official spokesman regularly provides details of Ministers public engagements.

Family Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will extend special measures into the family courts in cases in which quasi-criminal allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse are a part of the case.

Christopher Leslie: It is the case that the main witness, usually the victim, is already known to the alleged perpetrator in family proceedings cases. Further, cases are not heard or decided by juries but by family judges. Judges that are ticketed to hear family cases will have undergone training to deal with domestic and sexual abuse cases sensitively. It is the attitude and understanding of the judge toward the victim in family proceedings that is as important as any special measures that may be available.
	Judges in the family courts already have wide powers when hearing cases where they decide a victim is vulnerable or scared, for instance victims of domestic or sexual abuse, to take action to assist them to give evidence. Hearings are usually heard in private and wigs and gowns are not worn. If the judge decides it is necessary, and they are available, screens and video links can be used. We are also looking to develop integrated domestic violence courts where civil and criminal aspects of domestic violence cases will be heard in one court. This should also make the availability of special measures more readily available across the jurisdictions. A letter to county courts will be sent shortly to remind them of the need to make known to victims any special facilities that are available in the court and a poster will be provided to aid awareness of these facilities.

IT Contracts

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much the Department has spent on its Programme on IT and e-Government in each year since 1997; and how the money has been apportioned between different initiatives.

Christopher Leslie: For my Department, expenditure incurred on IT between 1997 and 2004 covered three main areas; Crown and County Courts, magistrates' courts and Headquarters. These three areas are covered by separate contracts, namely Local Office Court Computer Systems—various court-based IT systems (LOCCS), Magistrates' courts IT systems (LIBRA) and Resource Accounting and Management Information System (ARAMIS). The e-Government Unit lists 35 eGovernment initiatives under the Department for Constitutional Affairs in its Electronic Service Delivery Report for January 2004. Most of the significant expenditure on these initiatives is contained in the figures below, but to provide information on the money spent on each of them for each of the last seven years would incur disproportionate cost.
	The LOCCS contract was awarded to EDS in September 1996, to provide IT systems to courts. Between 1997 and 2004, expenditure on this contract totalled £137.53 million. The expenditure for each year is as follows.
	
		
			  (£ million) 
		
		
			 1998/99 5.92 
			 1999/00 14.35 
			 2000/01 24.9 
			 2001/02 33.4 
			 2002/03 17.5 
			 2003/04 41.46 
		
	
	ARAMIS is a PFI contract for the provision of accounting, financial, HR/payroll and management information services. Since 1997 to date, expenditure has totalled 121.25m. The expenditure for each year is as follows:
	
		
			  (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997–98: 3.07 
			 1998–99: 13.54 
			 1999–2000: 14.47 
			 2000–01: 18.5 
			 2001–02: 18.39 
			 2002–03: 24.74 
			 2003–04: 28.54 
		
	
	The LIBRA contract provides case management and Office Automation to Magistrates' courts). Total expenditure since 2000 (when payments commenced) to date is £180.8 million. The expenditure for each year is as follows:
	
		
			  (£ million) 
		
		
			 2000–01 11.2 
			 2001–02 22 
			 2002–03 68 
			 2003–04 79.6

Judges

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many (a) Queen's Bench and (b) Family Division judges there are; how many there were in (i) 1974, (ii) 1984 and (iii) 1994; and what the percentage change was in each case.

Christopher Leslie: As at 9 December 2004 there are:
	73 Queen's Bench Division—(72 High Court Judges and the Lord Chief Justice)
	19 Family Division—(18 High Court Judges and the President of the Family Division)
	1974
	44 Queen's Bench Division—(43 High Court judges and the Lord Chief Justice)
	17 Family Division—(16 High Court Judges and the President)
	1984
	50 Queen's Bench Division—(49 High Court judges and the Lord Chief Justice)
	17 Family Division—(16 High Court Judges and the President)
	1994
	64 Queen's Bench Division—(63 High Court judges and the Lord Chief Justice)
	16 Family Division—(15 High Court Judges and the President)
	The percentage changes were:
	Queen's Bench Division
	1974–84=13 per cent. increase
	1984–94=28 per cent. increase
	1994–2004=14 per cent. increase.
	Family Division
	1974–84=no change
	1984–94=6 per cent. decrease
	1994–2004=16 per cent. increase.

Shredding

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much his Department has spent on acquiring shredding equipment for office use in each year since 1997.

Christopher Leslie: The amount spent on acquiring shredding equipment for office use for each year since 1997 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Shredding

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff hours have been spent shredding documents in each month since January.

Christopher Leslie: Information on staff hours spent disposing of records identified for destruction is not held, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the attributable interviews that the Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Christopher Leslie: Special Advisers in my Department did not give any attributable interviews to newspapers, journals, books or any other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. All Special Advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that the Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Christopher Leslie: Special advisers in the Department for Constitutional Affairs did not make any contributions to newspapers, journals, books and other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.
	All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct of Special Advisers".

Witnesses (Criminal Courts)

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps the Department has taken to publicise the availability of special measures for witnesses in the criminal courts.

Christopher Leslie: My Department works closely with the other Criminal Justice Departments to ensure that the availability of special measures is publicised.
	Prior to attending court the Witness in Court leaflet should be sent to every prosecution witnesses, with the witness warning letter. This leaflet includes information about the availability of special measures. The Witness Walkthrough on CJS Online also has information about special measures. In addition, Home Office circulars provide information to practitioners about special measures. Technical guidance has also been issued to the judiciary as to the way the legislation should operate on special measures and the Judicial Studies Board provides training seminars for the judiciary in which special measures are covered extensively. In each Crown court centre there is a Witness Liaison Officer, who has received training for dealing with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses and the use of special measures. It is planned to extend the use of Witness Liaison Officers to all magistrates courts by spring 2005.
	The 'No Witness, No Justice' programme, which is currently being rolled out nationally, introduces dedicated Witness Care Units bringing police and the CPS together for the first time to jointly meet the individual needs of victims and witnesses. They provide a range of services, including, following charge, an initial needs assessment to identify those witnesses who would qualify for special measures, and continuous review of victim and witness needs throughout the case.
	My Department has also worked with the General Council of the Bar, the NSPCC and other criminal justice agencies to produce a video "A Case for Special Measures" which is aimed primarily at the legal professions.

WALES

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether departmental special advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997.

Peter Hain: Any speeches made by special advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether departmental special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether departmental special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary select committees in their official capacity since May 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Since then, departmental special advisers have made no such appearances.

Staff Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office was created in July 1999 and has 57 staff.
	(a) In-house training was provided by the National Assembly for Wales under a Service Level Agreement until June 2003 and is now provided by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. There is no cost to the Wales Office for such training except for travel and subsistence for trainers. The costs for travel and subsistence are nil for years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02. In 2002–03 we spent £1,856 and in 2003–04 £2,230.
	(b) and (c) Courses arranged specifically for Wales Office staff are normally held in our buildings in London and Cardiff and have included:
	
		
			 Course Date 
		
		
			 Performance Awareness April 2002 
			 Equality Awareness July and August 2002 
			 Pension Choices September 2002 
			 Evidencing Competences December 2002 
			 Records Management/Data Protection January 2003 
			 Selection Interviewing February and April 2003 
			 Performance Management February and March 2003 
			 Freedom of Information April 2003 
			 Reward and Recognition Scheme May 2003 
			 DCA Induction September 2003 
			 Away Day Training Event February 2004 
			 Health and Safety March 2004

Staff Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997–98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Don Touhig: None.

Taskforces

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department in each year since 1997 on taskforces and similar bodies.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Since then no taskforces or similar bodies have been set up by my Department.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers and officials in his Department in each year since 1997; what the cost to his Department of such telephones has been in each year since 1997; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Don Touhig: holding answer 6 December 2004
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2004, Official Report, column 0295W to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk).
	Currently, the Wales Office provides two mobile phones for Ministers and Special Advisers, and 17 for officials.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of British imports from Burma was in each year since 1995.

Douglas Alexander: According to figures published by HM Customs and Excise, the UK's imports of goods from Burma were as follows:
	
		UK imports of goods from Burma 1995–2003
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1995 9.3 
			 1996 13.7 
			 1997 19.5 
			 1998 17.3 
			 1999 23.8 
			 2000 49.3 
			 2001 66.6 
			 2002 64.3 
			 2003 62.2 
		
	
	Source:
	H M Customs and Excise Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS A)

Business Support

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support is planned from her Department for small and medium-sized enterprises over the next five years for developing international export markets.

Douglas Alexander: Details of the future activity planned to support small and medium-sized enterprises developing their international business is set out in UK Trade and Investment's Corporate Plan available at www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk. The strategy is currently being revised to take account of the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review, including an increased emphasis on new to export firms.

Business Support

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support from her Department is available to small and medium-sized enterprises who wish to attend international trade shows in other countries.

Douglas Alexander: Small and medium-sized enterprises can currently apply for financial support when they join UK groups at overseas trade fairs as part of a programme that UK Trade and Investment agrees annually with accredited trade associations and chambers of commerce. Grant assistance is also made available to individual SMEs wishing to attend trade fairs that are not part of the annual programme. SMEs on the Passport to Export Success process are entitled to matched funding in the form of Business Development Credits (BDCs), which may include 50 per cent. of the costs for the first participation in a fair or exhibition.
	A range of factors is taken into account when determining both the eligibility of individual firms, and the amount of financial support that UK Trade and Investment will provide up to a pre-determined limit.

Business Support

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total (a) allocation to and (b) expenditure on (i) Small Firms Loan Guarantee, (ii) Grant for Research and Development, (iii) Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea and (iv) Knowledge Transfer Partnerships has been since April 2003.

Nigel Griffiths: The information requested is as follows:
	(i) The Small Firms Loan Guarantee does not have an allocation, it is a demand led scheme and therefore the budget is open ended.
	The expenditure for 2003–04 was £40.19 million and expenditure to the end of November 2004 is £27.1 million.
	(ii) The provision for SMART/Grant for Research and Development for 2003–04 was £27 million and expenditure £47 million. The allocation for 2004–05 is £27 million and expenditure to the end of November 2004 is £30.4 million.
	(iii) The allocation for the Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea was £2 million (£1 million in both 2003–04 and 2004–05) and the value of grants offered since launch was £2.056 million.
	(iv) The amount allocated during 2003–04 to be expended over the next four financial years on Knowledge Transfer Partnership is £13,906,499.
	The amount spent in promoting and managing and delivering these KTP projects in this period was £586,000.

Cancer Patients

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to change the employment rights of cancer patients.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the Disability Discrimination Bill, a person who has cancer will be treated as a disabled person, for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, from the point at which they are diagnosed with this condition. We are proposing that this additional protection will only extend to people who have cancer which requires substantial treatment, in line with the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force. This will be the subject of consultation in the near future. This extends protection from the current arrangements where a cancer must already have or have had an adverse effect and be likely to progress to have a substantial adverse effect before protection against discrimination is available.

Child Labour

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to ensure the responsible behaviour of UK companies investing in the developing world; and what action she is taking in respect of those companies that use child labour.

Douglas Alexander: Across Government we are undertaking a range of activities to encourage UK companies to maximise the positive contribution they make and minimise their adverse impacts on economic, environmental and social objectives throughout their operations across the world, including action to tackle the use of child labour. This encompasses the approaches set out in the recent Trade and Environment White Paper as well as encouraging the highest standards of corporate behaviour through adherence to the values and behaviours set out in internationally agreed initiatives such as the OECD guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. We also encourage participation in initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative, Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, Kimberley Certification Process, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the UN Global Compact. Further details can be found on www.csr.gov.uk.

Civil Partnership Bill (Northern Ireland)

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters have been received by her Department since 5 March opposing the implementation of the Civil Partnership Bill in Northern Ireland.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Since 5 March 2004, the Department of Trade and Industry has received 260 letters opposing the implementation of the Civil Partnership Act in Northern Ireland.
	Over the same period the Department has received 405 letters in support of the implementation of civil partnerships in Northern Ireland.

Coalminers' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average full and final settlement is for cases submitted by (a) Beresfords solicitors, (b) AMS Law solicitors, (c) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers, (d) Mark Gilbert Morse solicitors, (e) Towells solicitors, (f) Irwin Mitchell solicitors, (g) Thompsons solicitors, (h) Richmonds solicitors and (i) Frank Allen Pennington solicitors for vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under the coalminers' compensation scheme; and what the average full and final settlement under the scheme is.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 6 December 2004
	As of 21 November 2004 the figures are:
	
		
			  COPD VWF 
			 Solicitor Average settlement Average settlement 
		
		
			 Beresfords Solicitors 2,425 7,352 
			 AMS Law 3,780 8,342 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 4,375 8,391 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 6,242 6,549 
			 Towells Solicitors 8,782 8,632 
			 Irwin Mitchell 10,472 9,202 
			 Thompsons 10,195 9,778 
			 Richmonds Solicitors 4,776 11,352 
			 Frank Allen Pennington NB 5,301 8,001 
		
	
	Note:
	Average settlement is total damages paid on claims settled by payment and excludes denied/withdrawn claims.

Coalminers' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to recover costs from solicitors under the Coalminers' Compensation Scheme where conditional fee agreements have been invalidated.

Nigel Griffiths: The respiratory disease Claims Handling Agreement (CHA), in accordance with the High Court judgment, makes detailed provision for the payment of costs to claimants' solicitors. The Department believes that the CHA provides for adequate remuneration for solicitors and that no additional payments are therefore justified.
	The CHA does not allow for the payment of a success fee under a conditional fee agreement by the Department and as such we do not and have not made any such payments.

Coalminers' Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases have been submitted by Donne Mileham and Haddock solicitors under the Coalminers' Compensation Scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: The Department's claim handlers, IRISC, have not received any claims under the British Coal health schemes from Donne Mileham and Haddock solicitors.

Coalminers' Compensation Scheme

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she will take to assist former miners who worked with private mining companies as well as British Coal to have their compensation cases settled.

Nigel Griffiths: We have now made compensation payment to miners who spend all or part of their working lives in private mines. The DTI continues to press the owners of small mines to make payments as quickly as possible.

Coalminers' Compensation Scheme

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average transaction cost is for a settled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger claim, broken down by (a) legal, (b) medical, (c) insurance and (d) other costs.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The average cost for settling a respiratory disease claim is approximately £1,300 and for a vibration white finger (VWF) general damage claim approximately £1,040.
	For a respiratory disease claim over half is accounted for by medical assessments and around a third to contractors. For a VWF claims around three quarters is accounted for by contractors/legal costs and around a sixth for medical assessments.

Conflict Zones (OECD Study)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations her Department has had with (a) other Government Departments and (b) other stakeholders in relation to the December 2004 consultation meeting for the OECD study, Doing Business in Conflict Zones; what the result of the consultation was; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: UK input to the OECD Investment Committee's discussion on "Conducting business with integrity in Weak governance zones: Issues for discussion and a case study of the DRC" will be informed by discussion between DTI, FCO and DfID. These discussions are on-going.
	Other stakeholders will have the opportunity to put their views directly to the Investment Committee at a discussion with high level non-governmental experts on 15 December.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will reply to the letter for the honourable Member for Walsall North of 20 October, regarding a factory closure; and for what reasons no acknowledgement was sent at the time.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 29 November 2004
	I apologise for the delay in responding to your letter.
	The letter in question was signed and sent to yourself on the 7 December 2004.

Electricity Pylons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the compulsory purchase of land to construct electricity pylons.

Mike O'Brien: As with other utility companies performing a public service role, Parliament has given electricity companies access to compulsory powers where voluntary agreement cannot be obtained. Exercise of such powers is subject to a statutory process where ultimately confirmation or refusal of application is given by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry or officials acting on her behalf.

Electricity Pylons

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the company (a) constructing, (b) that owns and (c) that operates an electricity pylon is permitted to make a financial profit from land that is acquired under a compulsory purchase order to construct an electricity pylon.

Mike O'Brien: The sale of compulsorily acquired land is a matter for the electricity company. I understand that they would normally apply the Crichel Down Rules. These non-statutory rules, which apply to surplus land compulsorily purchased by the Government, allow for the offer of such land at its current market value to former owners, by way of a first opportunity to repurchase.

Energy Market Liberalisation

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects liberalisation of energy markets in other EU countries to be achieved.

Mike O'Brien: The 2003 Electricity (2003/54/EC) and Gas (2003/55/EC) Directives establish a framework for the development of the internal energy market, with an implementation date of 1 July this year. These are complemented by the 2003 Electricity Regulation (EC1228) and the proposed Gas Regulation (COM (2003) 741), currently before the European Parliament, which both seek to harmonise the conditions of cross-border trade.
	It is for the Commission to ensure compliance with EU legislation.
	The Commission produces annual benchmarking reports on the development of competition in individual member states. The third report, of March this year, is available on the Commission website at http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/gas/benchmarking/doc3/3rd_benchmarking_report_en.pdf.
	A fourth report is due to be published soon.

Energy Security Conference

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contribution (a) departmental staff and (b) staff of executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies responsible to her Department made to the conference on energy security held at the Royal United Services Institute on 3 to 4 November 2004; and if she will place papers prepared by her Department for the conference in the Library.

Mike O'Brien: Three officials from the Department gave presentations to the conference, on: 'Nuclear safety, security and emergency planning'; 'Downstream oil resilience' and 'The role of energy security in Government energy policy'. I have arranged for the slides they presented to be placed in the Libraries of the House. I also spoke at the conference. A copy of my speech is on the DTI website.

Fuel Poverty

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the likely change in the number of households in fuel poverty as a result of increased fuel prices.

Mike O'Brien: Our analysis of the effects of increased fuel price rises suggests that fuel poverty is likely to rise by a limited amount in 2004 and 2005 (perhaps by up to 200,000 vulnerable households in England. However any potential increase in the numbers needs to be set against the very real progress that has been made: the number of households in fuel poverty in the UK has fallen by over 3 million since 1996, to 2.25 million in 2002 and further reductions are expected for 2003. The effects of the recent price increases will also be countered by other measures that we have put in place on incomes and benefits. The assumptions behind this estimate are set out in two DTI publications which accompanied publication of the "Fuel Poverty in England: The Government's Plan for Action" on 30 November. These internet publications are available to view at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/consumers/fuel_poverty/index.shtml.
	The Government remain committed to achieving their target of seeking an end to the problem of fuel poverty in England in vulnerable households by 2010 as far as is reasonably possible.

Gas Prices

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she has held discussions with representatives of industry about the October price spike in forward wholesale gas prices; if she will assess price trends in the market since liberalisation; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I have had meetings with two major chemical companies on this issue and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives on the Energy Intensive Users Group on 9 December. Officials are having on-going discussions with industry representatives to share information and assessments, and to hear their proposals for what might be done.
	Gas prices are continuously monitored by Ofgem and my Department, and my Department publishes regular updates in the Quarterly Energy Prices Publication. Over the long run our policies of market liberalisation and non-intervention have delivered low gas prices and increased choice for domestic and industrial consumers, and even now domestic prices are only just returning to the levels they were at in 1997, and industrial gas prices are still likely to be below the average over the last 30 years.

Gas Prices

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to protect the UK's industrial competitiveness from the effects of rising wholesale gas prices.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is seeking to maximise the recovery of gas from the UK continental shelf though a number of initiatives, such as the fallow blocks exercise, the new licence approach and the initiative on mature fields.
	The Government are also facilitating the huge programme of private sector investment in the UK's gas supply infrastructure, including import projects such as the doubling of the Bacton-Zeebrugge Interconnector import capacity, a new interconnector from the Netherlands, the new Norwegian (Langeled) pipeline and three major new LNG import terminals.
	On the EU front, we and Ofgem are pressing the European Commission to launch a sectoral investigation into any European gas suppliers who may have acted anti-competitively. We are also continuing to press the European Commission hard for timely liberalisation of energy markets across the EU.

LNG Plant (Nigeria)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Export Credits Guarantee Department has taken since October 2003 to ascertain whether NW Kellogg or other subsidiary of Halliburton was implicated in (a) the French investigation and (b) the US investigations into allegations of bribery in connection with the LNG Plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria.

Douglas Alexander: ECGD is not a law enforcement agency and has no investigatory powers. Despite having made a request for details of the French investigation, ECGD has been denied information by the French investigator but has been informed by Halliburton that it is not currently being examined by either of the investigations. We await the conclusion of the investigations in question.

LNG Plant (Nigeria)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which company signed the no-bribery warranty for the application for the Export Credits Guarantee Department support for a contract on the LNG Plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria.

Douglas Alexander: M. W. Kellogg Limited and Bonny Project Management Company Limited.

LNG Plant (Nigeria)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the contract supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in connection with the LNG plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria was.

Douglas Alexander: Goods and services (including project management services) required for the construction of two new gas liquefaction units, and ancillary facilities, at an already existing LNG plant.

LNG Plant (Nigeria)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library a copy of the recourse agreement and related documents signed in connection with Export Credits Guarantee Department support for a contract on the LNG plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria.

Douglas Alexander: No. These documents represent contractual agreements between ECGD and the parties concerned and are therefore, commercially confidential.

LNG Plant (Nigeria)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which companies signed the recourse agreement for the contract supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in connection with the LNG plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria.

Douglas Alexander: These documents represent contractual agreements between ECGD and the parties concerned and are, therefore, commercially confidential.

Northern Cyprus

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on direct UK trade links with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Douglas Alexander: The Government strongly support EU efforts to enable preferential direct trade with northern Cyprus. At the April General Affairs Council, EU Foreign Ministers committed to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. At the Council's request, the Commission produced a draft regulation to deliver on this commitment and enable preferential direct trade between the north and EU member states on a tariff quota system. This regulation, along with a regulation disbursing 259 million euros of aid to northern Cyprus, has yet to be agreed. The Government strongly support the presidency in their determination to agree these regulations and to fulfil the Council mandate to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the European Commission's investigation into the funding of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Mike O'Brien: The European Commission have announced a formal investigation into the aid to the NDA that we notified in December 2003. The UK Government fully supports the EC State aid regime, understands the Commission's desire to investigate and will work closely with them throughout their investigation.
	I also welcome the Commission's acknowledgement, in their press notice of 1 December 2004 announcing the opening of their investigation, that the transitional arrangements under which the NDA will start work on 1 April 2005 do not involve state aid. As part of these arrangements I have today issued a written statement under the Energy Act 2004 of my policy for crediting the Nuclear Decommissioning Funding Account.

Oil and Gas Supplies

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the UK's (a) oil and (b) gas supplies reached the UK via transit routes that pass through Ukraine in the last period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to determine what percentage of UK physical oil and gas supplied has transited through Ukraine although it is believed to be negligible. Most UK oil and gas supplies are produced indigenously with imports primarily sourced from Norway (for crude oil and gas) and Northern Europe (for oil products).

Regional Venture Capital Funds

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the projected allocation for regional venture capital funds is for (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07.

Nigel Griffiths: The DTI/SBS's projected allocation for the Regional Venture Capital Funds (RVCFs) is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 (a) 2004–05 29 
			 (b) 2005–06 10 
			 (c) 2006–07 5 
		
	
	The DTI/SBS anticipates that the total DTI/SBS commitment of up to £74 million will be invested by 2007.

UK Trade and Industry

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the amount of export revenue created for small and medium-sized enterprises since 1997 by the activities of UK Trade and Industry.

Douglas Alexander: UK Trade and Investment assists small and medium-sized companies to build their export capacity. The value of such assistance is measured through the percentage of firms improving their business performance rather than the value of exports generated. As published in UK Trade and Investment's recent Resource Accounts, the Autumn Performance report shows that during 2003, 35 per cent. of new-to-export firms and 43 per cent. of established exporters assisted by UK Trade and Investment improved their business performance.

UK Trade and Investment

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the export trade funding received by UK Trade and Investment was handed over to the regional development agencies in the last period for which figures are available; and whether this amount is forecast to change.

Douglas Alexander: Export trade funding is not handed over to the regional development agencies (RDAs). UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) acts as the international trade arm of the RDAs. UKTIs international trade directors manage UKTI funding in each of the nine English regions, working in close partnership with RDAs to implement regional international trade strategies.

Wind Power

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to encourage the use of photovoltaics as an alternative to wind power.

Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 7 December 2004, Official Report, column 475W to my hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, East, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart).

Wind Power

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what part her Department played in the recent European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition.

Mike O'Brien: As with previous European Wind Energy Association Conferences the host nation's Government Department with responsibility for renewables part sponsored the event. The DTI committed €150.000 in sponsorship for the event, was involved in the organising committee and had a stand in the conference exhibition giving information on our support for the renewables industry.
	I attended the conference, gave a speech and toured the UK stands and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave the opening address. I later attended the dinner and gave a speech there.
	The event was very successful attracting 1,500 participants and 260 exhibiting companies including many from the UK.
	The event provided an excellent opportunity for UK businesses to showcase their expertise and capabilities and for the regions/regional development agencies to engage with firms looking to make investments in the UK.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Accused Persons (Former Yugoslavia)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has with the NATO authorities and others to make renewed attempts to capture those accused of genocide in the former Yugoslavia and Bosnia; and what discussions he has had with the Serbian Government on this.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 7 December 2004
	Following the transfer of authority from the NATO mission in Bosnia (SFOR) to EU Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea on 2 December, EUFOR, together with the NATO HQ and in co-ordination with the local authorities at both state and entity level, will maintain efforts to locate and detain fugitive indictees within Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
	The UK continues to urge all relevant authorities in Serbia and Montenegro (SaM), BiH and Croatia, including the Government of SaM and the relevant authorities in Belgrade and Podgorica, to fulfil their international obligation to co-operate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia by taking all necessary steps to apprehend and transfer to The Hague all fugitive indictees, in particular Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina. Failure to do so will continue to delay their progress towards closer integration in Euro-Atlantic structures.

Afghanistan (Heroin Production)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of how much heroin was produced in Afghanistan in each of the last three years; how much of that was exported to the UK in each year; what estimate he has made of each figure for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK, as lead nation, is committed to supporting the Afghan Government in the implementation of their comprehensive National Drug Control Strategy. I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement I made on Afghanistan: Counter Narcotics on 29 November 2004, Official Report, columns 17–18WS.
	The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation and production in Afghanistan.
	According to the survey, the potential opium production in each of the last three years was estimated as follows:
	
		tonnes
		
			  Production 
		
		
			 2001 185 
			 2002 3,400 
			 2003 3,600 
		
	
	The low tonnage in 2001 followed the highest ever recorded production figure in 1999 of 4,600 tonnes and 3,300 tonnes in 2000. In 2001, the Taliban banned cultivation. This ban was enforced with a combination of fear and bribery. It drove up the price of opium and the drug trade profited from increased prices for supplies from opium stockpiles.
	There are no reliable figures as to how much of that opium is processed into heroin within Afghanistan.
	Results of this year's survey showed that potential opium production was 4,200 tonnes. We estimate that approximately 25 to 30 tonnes a year of heroin is smuggled into the UK, that over 95 per cent. originated from Afghanistan and that it would require some 250 to 300 tonnes of opium to produce this amount of heroin. Working to eliminate opium production is vital for Afghanistan's future. As the UN survey makes clear, the challenge is substantial and complex.

Chagos Islands

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has attended with (a) hon. Members, (b) Chagos Islanders and (c) other organisations on matters relating to the Chagos Islands since 10 June; and what the nature of the discussion at those meetings was.

Bill Rammell: I met hon. Members on 28 June, 23 September, 8 November and 16 November when various matters relating to the Chagos islands and the Chagossians were discussed. Representatives of the Chagossian community also attended the meetings on 28 June and 16 November. In addition I had a meeting with one of the Chagossians' legal advisers on 15 June, when I informed him of the making on 10 June of two Orders in Council relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory.
	There have been no meetings relating to the Chagos islands with other organisations but when my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Mauritian Foreign Minister on 4 October, the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory was among the wide range of matters discussed.

Child Protection

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the protection of children, including children abused through commercial sexual exploitation, will be a key priority within the Northern Ireland Policing Plan.

Ian Pearson: The reduction of all types of crime is a key priority for the Northern Ireland Policing Service. Child protection is not specifically included in the current draft of the 2005/08 Annual Policing Plan as a performance indicator or target. Child protection will be included in Part III of the Annual Policing Plan which includes area which have a corporate impact.

Columbia

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given by the UK Government to the Columbian armed forces.

Bill Rammell: We have always made it clear that we do provide, from time-to-time, military and security advice and assistance to the Colombian Government. UK military assistance focuses on Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training and British military education.
	Mines and other explosive devices are responsible for a significant proportion of deaths among the Colombian armed forces, and also have a devastating effect on the civilian population. Bomb Disposal training, which forms the core of our military assistance programme, directly helps the Colombian armed forces to save civilian and military lives. We have also trained elements of the Colombian Authorities engaged in Counter-Narcotics work.
	We have also assisted the Colombian military on human rights issues. For example, under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights Project Fund (HRPF) we recently ran a project to raise awareness of the armed forces on their role in prevention of displacement and protection of the rights of internally displaced persons. We also have an ongoing project on human rights training for the military through the Colombian military justice school; over 5,000 service personnel benefited from such training in 2004.
	British military training and education introduces personnel to British defence concepts, including the importance of accountable and democratic control of the armed forces, and the use of Rules of Engagement. It improves the ability of the Colombian armed forces to provide security for the Colombian people in a professional manner that preserves democracy and respects human rights.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Rwandan troops have crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo despite the presence of a UN peacekeeping force in the country.

Chris Mullin: We are concerned by reports that Rwanda plans to send troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We have not been presented with any conclusive evidence that proves Rwandan troops have entered the DRC.
	The UK and the wider international community have made clear to Rwanda that any incursion into the DRC would be unacceptable. My right hon. Friend the International Development Secretary has spoken to President Kagame to emphasise that unilateral military action is not the answer to the serious problem of disarming the Ex-Forces Armees Rwandaises/Interahamwe armed groups.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps (a) the Government, (b) the European Union and (c) the United Nations Security Council are taking to prevent the deterioration of relations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We are concerned by the ongoing problems between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We are working with the Security Council, EU and regional partners to seek an urgent solution to the problem. We have urged both sides to use existing mechanisms such as the Joint Verification Mechanism and Tripartite Agreement to resolve the difficulties between them through dialogue. The UK and all partners have made clear to Rwanda that any incursion into the territory of the DRC would be unacceptable. Concerted international effort is also required to disarm foreign armed groups on DRC territory.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of recent reports of increased violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to be unstable. Outbreaks of violence have occurred periodically since the end of the war in the DRC.
	We have urged neighbouring governments to play a constructive role in supporting the peace process in the region, including respecting the DRC's territorial integrity.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what resources his Department has allocated to assessing the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We have an Embassy in Kinshasa and Embassies and High Commissions in other countries in the Great Lakes region that monitor the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We exchange views with our international, EU and African partners. Our overseas posts are supported in their assessments by diplomatic and research officers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. To provide the information requested on a year-by-year basis would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its agency, Wilton Park, have no empty properties in the United Kingdom. Day to day management of the overseas estate is devolved to our overseas posts and it is not, therefore, possible to provide details of all empty properties without incurring disproportionate cost.
	None of the FCO's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have empty properties in the United Kingdom.
	The British Council, one of the FCO's NDPBs, also has properties overseas but day to day management of their overseas estate, like the FCO, is devolved to their overseas posts and it is not, therefore, possible to provide details of all their empty properties without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The BBC World Service is part of the BBC (which is a public corporation), and is funded by the FCO through a grant-in-aid. It does not have any empty properties in the UK.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Bill Rammell: Details of these events are not held centrally within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on consultants is published annually in our departmental report. However, we have listed below our expenditure for 2003–04 in advance of the publication of our departmental report which is due for publication in April 2005.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2002–03 23.7 
			 2003–04 23.2

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not entered into any PPP deals in the last two years.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act.

Jack Straw: No substantive changes have been made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) guidelines and criteria for selection or destruction of files over the past five years. The FCO's current selection policy is set out in Operational Selection Policy No. 13 'Britain's diplomatic relations, 1973–1996' which can be found on the TNA's website at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/selection.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Jack Straw: No substantive changes have been made to the guidelines and criteria for retention and destruction of departmental files since 1999, apart from the period of retention for consular case files. In February 2002 the existing guidelines and criteria were reissued by The National Archives as Operational Selection Policy (OSP) no 13. This can be found on TNA's website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/selection. In 2004 the period of retention for consular case files was reduced from six to three years after last action to ensure Foreign and Commonwealth Office compliance with Principle 7 of the Data Protection Act.

Environment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what motions have been proposed by the UK for consideration by the United Nations since 1997 relating to (a) the environment, (b) climate change and (c) contraction and convergence.

Bill Rammell: The UK attaches great importance to environmental issues at the UN. As with other issues we normally work through the EU. Since 1997 the UK, via the EU, has proposed, co-sponsored or given its support to various resolutions on environmental issues in UN bodies such as the General Assembly (UNGA), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP).
	The UK attaches particular importance to progress on tackling climate change, and works through the Conferences of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), such as those on hazardous chemicals and biodiversity, to promote progress internationally on our climate change and other environmental objectives.
	There are too many resolutions to list individually. However the relevant UNGA and ECOSOC texts can be found at the following website: www.un.org.documents, referring to "Resolutions" under the appropriate body. CSD documents can be found at the same website under "Economic and Social Council: Bodies by thematic area: Sustainable Development". Decisions of UNEP's Governing Councils can be found on www.unep.org under "About UNEP: Governing Bodies".

EU-Russia Summit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions were held at the recent EU-Russia Summit on the need to (a) respect human rights and (b) uphold democratic values.

Bill Rammell: The EU-Russia Summit on 25 November discussed human rights in the context of the on-going dialogue on the Four Common Spaces agreement, where the EU continues to insist on a human rights dialogue as an integral part of the Common Space on Freedom, Security and Justice. We hope this will result in an on-going and more structured dialogue on human rights between the EU and Russia.
	Democratic values are also an important part of the Common Space on Freedom, Security and Justice, and were discussed in this context at the summit. There were also separate discussions of democratic values in the context of recent Russian internal political reforms and developments in Ukraine.

Fallujah

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Oral Answer of 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 372, on the Middle East and Ukraine, if he will request that Prime Minister Allawi furnish him with the date upon which he requested that US troops begin to prepare for a possible attack upon Fallujah.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	The date on which Prime Minister Allawi approached US commanders for assistance to prepare for possible operations in Fallujah is an issue for the US authorities and the Iraqi Interim Government.

Fallujah

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Oral Answer of 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 372, on the Middle East and Ukraine, if he will request that Prime Minister Allawi furnish him with the date upon which he requested the assistance of British troops in preparation for a possible attack upon Fallujah.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	The request for British forces to deploy to North Babil in support of Iraqi and Coalition operations in central Iraq originated with the US military authorities, not Prime Minister Allawi, on 10 October 2004.

Feyz Mohammad

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to Iranian authorities regarding the case of the Afghan national Feyz Mohammad who has been sentenced to death.

Bill Rammell: With our strong support, the European Union has urged the Iranian authorities to review the sentence imposed on Feyz Mohammad. We have on many occasions made representations about the use of the death penalty in Iran, and the sentencing to death of juvenile offenders. The UK, along with all other EU member states, co-sponsored a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly Third Committee on 17 November, which called on Iran 'to comply with its obligations under article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights not to impose the sentence of death for offences committed by persons below 18 years of age'.

Iran

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet his Iranian counterpart to discuss the UN call for human rights reform in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to meet his Iranian counterpart. He discussed a number of human rights concerns with the Iranian Ambassador on 8 November, including the use of the death sentence for juvenile offenders. The UK, along with all other EU member states, co-sponsored the resolution on human rights in Iran adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 17 November.

Moldova

Clive Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Moldovan ambassador concerning the arrest of Mr. Serafim Urechean, Mayor of Chisinau, on his return from the UK after an official visit; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Our ambassador in Moldova has met with Mr. Urechean since he was summoned for questioning, which we understand was in relation to allegations of corruption in the municipal budget, and remains in regular contact. We have had no discussions on the issue with the Moldovan chargé d'affaires in London.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conflict in the Niger Delta; and what discussions he has had with the Government of Nigeria on seeking a peaceful outcome.

Chris Mullin: We are concerned about a number of problems associated with the Niger Delta: governance; organised crime, including illegal oil bunkering; proliferation of arms; high unemployment; poverty, environmental degradation (including gas flaring) and ethnic unrest. I raised the Niger Delta with the Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in July. The British High Commissioner and his officials are regular visitors to the region and regularly discuss the issues with the Federal and State governments and legislatures.

Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what UK representations there will be at the 2005 non-proliferation treaty review conference; and what proposals they will put forward.

Denis MacShane: The UK will send a full delegation to the 2005 review conference. We will stress the need for a stronger and more effective counter-proliferation regime and the central role of the NPT as its cornerstone. We will emphasise the importance of compliance with the treaty and will promote the adoption of safeguards. We will emphasise the strength of the UK's positive record on nuclear disarmament and we will present a final report of the studies we have conducted on the verification of nuclear disarmament.

Passports (Biometric Data)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which international (a) treaties and (b) agreements require the UK to introduce biometric passports.

Chris Mullin: holding answer of 9 December 2004
	There are currently no international treaties or agreements that require the UK to introduce biometric passports. However, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, of which the UK is a member has set international standards for travel document security, which include a biometric passport.

Passports (Biometric Data)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what biometric information is to be required by the United States for UK passport-holders wishing to enter that country.

Chris Mullin: holding answer of 9 December 2004
	From 30 September 2004, all travellers to the US have been digitally photographed and have had their index fingers digitally scanned on arrival at passport control.
	The US Government has stated that anyone travelling to the US under the Visa Waiver Programme with a passport issued on or after 26 October 2005 must have a biometric passport in order to travel visa-free. The biometric identifier must comply with standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. These include a digitally encoded photograph and the personal information that already appears on the data page of UK passports.

Republic of Macedonia

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to recognise the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the Republic of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds) on 17 November 2004, Official Report, column 1554W.

Rwanda

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the meetings held in the last 18 months between (a) himself, (b) members of his Department and (c) UK representatives in Rwanda and (i) members and (ii) representatives of the Government of Rwanda in which the situation in (A) the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and (B) the Democratic Republic of Congo in general has been (1) the main topic on the agenda and (2) a major topic on the agenda; what proposals (x) he, (y) members of his Department and (z) UK representatives in Rwanda made for the involvement of Rwanda in stabilising the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; how these proposals were met by (aa) members and (bb) representatives of the Government of (I) Rwanda and (II) the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: My right honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary met President Kagame in May 2003 and January 2004. I met President Kagame in June 2004. We discussed the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in all these meetings.
	Officials from my Department and UK representatives in Rwanda regularly discuss the DRC with the Rwandan Government. To list the agenda and contents of all discussions between the UK and Rwandan Governments over the past 18 months would incur disproportionate cost.
	The UK has consistently reminded Rwanda of its obligations to respect the territorial integrity of the DRC and the need for it to play a constructive role in building peace in the Great Lakes region.

South Korea

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the most recent International Atomic Energy Agency's report on South Korea's enrichment of uranium and plutonium.

Denis MacShane: The IAEA report was examined in detail by the Board of Governors on 25–26 November 2004. They noted that the activities reported were of serious concern, but welcomed the corrective action that the Republic of Korea had taken. The board encouraged the Republic of Korea to continue its active co-operation with the agency, pursuant to its Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997.

Jack Straw: Yes.

Sudan

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has held with the Sudanese Government regarding the threatened expulsion of aid agencies working in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: On 29 November 2004, our Ambassador in Khartoum raised wit the local authorities reports of the decision to ask the Directors of Oxfam and Save the Children UK to leave Sudan. The Government of Sudan subsequently indicated that this decision has been suspended until further notice.
	It is vital that all humanitarian agencies are given unfettered access to deliver assistance in Darfur. We will continue to make this clear as necessary to the Government of Sudan.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan about (a) respect for the ceasefire in Darfur, (b) protection of civilians in the internally-displaced persons camps and (c) obligations under the United Nations international human rights treaties, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Chris Mullin: The UK Government make regular representations to the Government of Sudan, both bilaterally and at meetings of the Joint Implementation Mechanism, on the need for it to abide by the 8 April N'Djamena ceasefire agreement and the Abuja Security and Humanitarian Protocols, signed on 9 November.
	We also regularly raise the need for it to ensure the protection of all civilians—including displaced persons—in Darfur, and to adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, including on the need for all returns to be voluntary and appropriate.
	Our Embassy in Khartoum, both bilaterally and as part of the EU-Sudan dialogue, makes regular representations to the Sudanese Government on the need for it to abide by international humanitarian law, including UN international human rights treaties. These include, inter alia, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention Against Torture and the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. During my visit to Sudan, I pressed Sudanese Justice Minister Yassin to ratify the Convention Against Torture as soon as possible.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the recent expulsion of charity workers by the Government of Sudan.

Chris Mullin: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Moore) today (UIN 202528).

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of kidnap and rape by the warring factions in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: We deplore the use of rape and kidnap by the warring factions in Darfur. We have repeatedly made clear to all sides that such actions must stop and that there can be no impunity for such crimes.
	We therefore welcome the establishment of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate violations of human rights in Darfur and to determine who should be held accountable.

Tibet

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Chinese Government over their treatment of the people of Tibet, with particular regard to the death sentence on Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 731W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock)

Uganda

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps (a) the Government, (b) the European Union and (c) the United Nations Security Council are taking to support and promote peace talks in Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We welcome the statement by the Lords Resistance Army on 2 November 2004 that they are willing to enter peace talks. We and our EU partners have taken a significant interest in the conflict in northern Uganda. We are encouraging the Government of Uganda to seize this opportunity. We have made clear to them that we are ready to provide assistance in the negotiation process if requested.
	Although the assistance of the UN has not been requested by the Government of Uganda, they are taking an increasing interest in the conflict. On 25 November 2004, members of the UN Security Council met President Museveni and urged him to bring the conflict to an end as soon as possible.

UK Citizens (US Detention)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are being detained by US authorities.

Chris Mullin: holding answer of 9 December 2004
	The latest figures available are for 30 June 2004. The total number of British nationals in detention in the US on that day was 717.
	In addition, there were four British nationals detained in Guantanamo Bay by the US authorities.

Ukraine

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) opposition parties and (b) civil organisations in the Ukraine regarding reports of voting irregularities in the recent election.

Chris Mullin: Opposition parties and civil organisations reported a large number of voting irregularities in the recent presidential elections in Ukraine. However, we base our concerns about the election process in Ukraine on the conclusions of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission. ODIHR is the OSCE's internationally recognised professional and objective body for monitoring elections in OSCE participating states. In Ukraine, ODIHR identified serious shortcomings in the electoral process.
	Our Embassy in Kiev remains in contact with all parties involved and continues to urge them to take forward the 1 December agreement brokered by EU High Representative Solana and President Kwasniewski of Poland. We are also stressing the need for the process to deliver an outcome that genuinely reflects the will of the people.

Ukraine

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Ukraine on the importance of respecting democratic values.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not made any direct representations to the Government of Ukraine. However, he has made a number of statements, including in this House on 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 359W. Our Ambassador in Kiev is in daily contact with all parties involved, including the Ukrainian authorities, calling on them to take forward the 1 December agreement brokered by EU High Representative Solana and President Kwasniewski of Poland.
	We have chosen to work with partners through the EU to maximise our influence on events in Ukraine. We have therefore fully supported and encouraged representations made on behalf of the EU by the Presidency and the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. Both have been in regular contact with the Government of Ukraine at the highest levels in recent weeks.

Ukraine

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of holding separation ballots in the Ukraine for the stability of that country and the region.

Chris Mullin: We support the territorial integrity of Ukraine and do not believe that the people of Ukraine want to see the break up of their country. We understand that no ballots on separation are currently envisaged.

Ukraine

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further diplomatic steps the UK Government is taking to ensure that political stability and democracy in the Ukraine is maintained.

Chris Mullin: We continue to give our full and active support to the EU's efforts to facilitate a resolution to the crisis. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, on two occasions since the flawed second round of the elections. We have issued several bilateral statements, in addition to EU statements, expressing concern about flaws in the electoral process. We remain in regular contact with all parties, including the Ukrainian authorities, and are urging them to continue to show restraint.

Ukraine

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK Government plan to give to ensure that elections are both fair and transparent as judged against international electoral standards, in the event of a re-run of the elections in the Ukraine.

Chris Mullin: In the event of a re-run, we understand that the original invitation to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to run an international election observation mission still stands. The UK will contribute at least 10 per cent. of the total number of observers requested by the OSCE.

Ukraine

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British ambassador to the Ukraine on the unrest in Ukraine following the second round of the presidential elections; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken directly to our ambassador in Kiev as the situation has evolved, as have I. We see his reporting every day. Our officials in London are also in daily contact with our embassy in Kiev.

UN Secretary General Report

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the report of the United Nations Secretary-General's high level panel on threats, challenge and change, published on 2 December.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has welcomed the report.
	We support the Panel's broad approach of acting earlier to tackle conflict and to build consensus in acting more decisively against the broad range of threats.
	The Report includes an important recommendation for a new Peacebuilding Commission to provide more focused management of individual post-conflict situations; it recognises that the UN must organise itself better to prevent conflict; it includes innovative proposals on improving the international communities response to threats of proliferation and terrorism; and it proposes a collective international 'Responsibility to Protect', that is to act against genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, among other important recommendations.
	Reform of the United Nations is a priority for the Government and we will work closely with the Secretary-General and other countries to ensure full discussion of the proposals and implementation of the report's key findings that find consensus.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uzbekistan about its obligations under the (a) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (b) Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Bill Rammell: Along with our EU colleagues we regularly stress to the Uzbek authorities the importance of meeting Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN commitments.
	A national action plan on torture was introduced by the Uzbek Prime Minister on 9 March 2004. However this failed to mention the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. I have urged the Uzbek authorities to implement these recommendations without delay. Our Embassy raised this again most recently with the First Deputy Foreign Minister on 1 December. We expect to see an amended plan in due course. At the same time the Deputy Foreign Minister was reminded of the importance of meeting the obligations of the UN Human Rights Committee.
	On 11 November 2004, an EU delegation, including the UK, reminded the Deputy Foreign Minister of the importance we attach to the Parliamentary elections on 26 December 2004 meeting OSCE election standards. Along with the OSCE, we will continue to follow these elections and the prospects for democracy and political rights closely.

Yellowcake Production (Niger)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports the UK Government have received since 1998 about breaches of the IAEA inspection regime of yellowcake production in Niger.

Denis MacShane: There is no IAEA inspection regime on the production of yellowcake. When Niger's Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (signed in June 2002) enters into force, Niger will be required to notify the IAEA of any exports of uranium ore unless the exports are for specifically non-nuclear purposes. Notification of exports for non-nuclear purposes will, likewise, be required when Niger's signature of the Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement enters into force.

Zimbabwe

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he had made to (a) the Zimbabwean Government and (b) the international community concerning the imprisonment of the Zimbabwe MP, Roy Bennett.

Chris Mullin: We have made clear to the Zimbabwean Government directly and with our EU and other international partners that we condemn the abuse of their legal system and the harassment of opposition politicians. But it is our assessment that, given the Zimbabwean Government's stated hostility to HMG, and their claim that the Zimbabwean opposition are British sponsored, bilateral action on behalf of Mr Roy Bennett would be ineffective and possibly damaging to his interests.

DEFENCE

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence is an equal opportunities employer, committed to maximising opportunities for all staff and playing a central role in the drive to promote diversity in the public sector. This includes a commitment to ensure that there should be no unfair discrimination on the basis of age.
	The MOD will continue to keep its age policy under review in the light of forthcoming legislation.

Agency Staff

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by (a) the Warship Support Agency, (b) the Army Base Repair Organisation, (c) the Defence Aviation Repair Agency, (d) the Defence Bills Agency, (e) the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (f) the Non-deployable elements of the British Forces Post Office, (g) the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (h) the Pay and Personnel Agency and (i) the Met Office and Hydrographic Office; what the running cost of each body was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the future of each body.

Adam Ingram: A summary of staff numbers and net operating costs for all MOD's On-vote Agencies are listed in 'Defence Agencies', a supplementary document to the MOD Annual Report and Accounts which is available on the MOD website at http://www.mod.uk/publications/performance2003/supdoc_agencies.htm. This also gives details on staff numbers for MOD Trading Funds. Further details on running costs and future issues facing all MOD's On-vote Agencies and Trading Funds can also be found in the individual organisations' annual reports and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	We will continue to keep all our On-vote Agencies and Trading Funds under review, in accordance with Government guidelines, to ensure that their functions are still required and that their status provides the most effective means of carrying out those functions.

Armed Services (Fitness)

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have occurred to the entry level fitness tests for the armed services since 2000.

Ivor Caplin: Naval Service—A Pre-Entry Joining Fitness Test (PJFT) was introduced for all Royal Navy Ratings and Royal Marine Other Ranks in June 2003. No physical test existed for RN applicants before that date. The test involves running 2.4km (1.5 mile) on a running machine and the timings required for applicants to achieve a pass vary according to age and gender. Individuals are allowed three attempts to pass, with 28 days being allowed between attempts. The test and the results remain valid for one year. There have been no changes to these tests since they were introduced.
	Army—Entry level fitness tests for soldiers can be split into two—Physical Selection Standards for Recruits (PSSR) and the Common Military Syllabus (Recruits) (CMS(R)) input standards. The former is conducted at the Recruit Selection Centre with the latter occurring on arrival at the Phase 1 training unit. The PSSR selects the physical potential and the CMS(R) input tests predict the likelihood of physical success during training. All tests are gender free and the standards are set by the Service Directorate relevant to the cap badge.
	Two changes to the PSSR were introduced in July 2003 based on scientific analysis. The Dynamic Lift Strength Test was 'capped' at 55 Kg and a Jerry Can Carry was introduced.
	There have been no changes to the input standard tests for CMS(R) since 2000.
	RAF—At present there are no entry fitness standards for RAF recruits. Airmen and airwomen recruits must, however, attempt the RAF Fitness Test (RAFFT) by the end of recruit training at RAF Halton. If they do not succeed in achieving the required standards, remedial fitness training is provided at their subsequent Phase 2 training school. The RAFFT was introduced in 1994. Its aim is to assess the physical fitness of all personnel (i.e. not just new recruits) on an annual basis.

Army Training

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the financial position of the Army Training and Recruitment Agency.

Ivor Caplin: Full details of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency's (ATRA) expenditure can be found in its published accounts as laid before Parliament on 6 July 2004 (Reference: HC 799).
	The funding of the ATRA is reviewed as part of the MOD's Short Term Planning (STP) process. This routinely addresses changes to the Department's programme including variations in the training requirement.

Asbestos

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the principal areas covered by departmental files contaminated by asbestos.

Ivor Caplin: Approximately 63,000 files were stored in the basement of the Old War Office Building where significant levels of asbestos contamination were identified. The basement area provided accommodation for three file stores: (1) the sensitive archive under the control of the Departmental Records Officer. This store provided accommodation for files from a wide number of branches across the Ministry of Defence, covering an equally wide range of administrative and operational subjects; (2) a Defence Intelligence Staff file store; and (3) a small store used by Air Historical Branch.

Centrifuge

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to install a human centrifuge at the purpose-built site at RAF Henlow; and what he estimates the costs to be.

Adam Ingram: There are no current plans to procure or install a human centrifuge at RAF Henlow.

Death in Service

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) regulations and (b) procedures are applicable in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy and (iii) Royal Air Force, following the death in service of individual personnel, governing (A) who decides which personal items are not returned, (B) how personal possessions are returned to the next of kin, (C) where the items which are not returned are stored, for how long, and under whose responsibility and (D) what information is given to the next of kin about personal items which are not returned.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Medical Services (Cyprus)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Defence Medical Services entered into an arrangement with Archbishop 3rd Makarios Hospital in Cyprus for the treatment of UK servicemen and women and their dependents; and what inspections the Defence Medical Services carried out of facilities available at the hospital in respect of ante-natal, neo-natal and maternity services before 27 September 1998.

Ivor Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Contracts

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since 2001–02 by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible; and what the total value of the contracts was in each case.

Adam Ingram: The information requested has only been collected by my Department since the beginning of financial year 2002–03 and then only in total terms. For the two most recent financial years I am able to provide the following data:
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Number of contracts awarded to small  and medium enterprises 5,742 7,201 
			 Total value of contracts (£ million) 275 530

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Ivor Caplin: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

Environmental Tectonics

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department made a payment to Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of their legal costs, in addition to the stage payments and the termination payment made to Environmental Tectonics Corporation, in connection with the cancelled RAF Centrifuge project.

Adam Ingram: In addition to a terminal payment of £6 million made to Environmental Tectonics Corporation in connection with the cancelled RAF Centrifuge project a payment against the costs of a preliminary arbitration hearing was made of £0.4 million.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether negotiations between his Department and BAE Systems on the price and other details of Eurofighter Typhoon have concluded.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 9 December 2004
	National price negotiations between the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems on the second tranche of Eurofighter Typhoons have been completed. When the terms and conditions of the draft contract are finalised, to the satisfaction of the four partner nations and the industrial consortium, it can be signed by NETMA on the nations' behalf. This is expected to be achieved before the end of the year. Parliament will then be informed in the usual way.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether EADS have agreed the terms for Tranche II for Eurofighter-Typhoon.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The terms for the order for Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon are negotiated by the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, on behalf of all four partner nations, with a consortium of four national partner companies including EADS. The order will then be subject to approval by the respective governments. That process is still under way and Parliament will be notified in the usual way when the contract is awarded.

Fraud

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have been (a) disciplined, (b) court-martialled and (c) dismissed for improper financial claims relating to fraud since 1997.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The information is as follows:
	Naval Service
	42 Naval Service personnel have been tried by court-martial for fraud related offences. Of those, 33 were found guilty of which 18 were dismissed from the Service. Figures for trial at summary level are only available from 2001. Between then and 2003, 93 Naval Service personnel were dealt with at summary level for similar offences, three of whom were dismissed.
	Army
	109 officers and soldiers were tried by court-martial for fraud related offences, of which three officers and 26 soldiers were dismissed from the Service. Figures for trial at summary level are only available from 2001. Between then and 2003, 30 Army personnel were tried at summary level for similar offences.
	RAF
	106 Royal Air Force personnel have been disciplined at summary level for offences involving fraud. A further 112 were tried by court-martial. Of these 13 cases involved officers of whom 10 were found guilty and five dismissed from the Service. Of the remaining 99 cases involving airmen, 85 were found guilty and 14 were subsequently dismissed.

Future Joint Combat Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what modifications will be required to the future joint combat aircraft to enable it to carry the Department's preferred mix of missiles.

Adam Ingram: The joint strike fighter has been chosen to meet the UK's future joint combat aircraft requirement. It will enter UK service with medium and short range air to air and precision air to ground capability provided as part of the JSF baseline capability and no modifications are therefore required. Decisions on future weapon requirements for JSF have not yet been taken.

Future Joint Combat Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what missile systems the future joint combat aircraft will carry; whether such missiles will be carried internally; how many missiles the aircraft will be capable of carrying; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No final decisions have been taken on the weapons fit for the joint combat aircraft, beyond the requirement that it will have a precision bombing capability and an air to air capability when it enters service.
	Weapons systems that we are considering integrating on joint combat aircraft as the requirement evolves include:
	Advanced short range air-to-air missile
	Advanced medium range air-to-air missile
	Beyond visual range air-to-air missile (Meteor)
	Paveway IV
	Storm Shadow
	Brimstone
	Our considerations will cover which weapons should be carried internally and which should be carried externally on JCA. Until such decisions have been taken we cannot say how many weapons will be carried in total.

Future Rapid Effects System

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by how long the assessment phase for the Future Rapid Effects System programme has been extended; and why the funding for the assessment and development phase of this programme has been increased over that provided for in the original plans.

Adam Ingram: The initial Assessment Phase for the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES) programme was formally approved in May 2004 and the cost and time envelopes of this approval have not changed. Outputs from the work undertaken during this phase of the programme will be used to inform decisions that will influence the cost and duration of future phases.
	A contract, scheduled to last two years, was placed with Atkins on 12 November 2004 for the Systems House role. Atkins will undertake a number of activities as part of the initial Assessment Phase, under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Defence, to inform future investment decisions.

Global Corvette Programme

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of the Global Corvette programme; and what he estimates the budget for this programme to be.

Adam Ingram: I assume this question refers to the Future Surface Combatant (FSC) programme, which is still in its concept phase. The type and size of the FSC will be driven by the future capability requirement. No decisions have yet been taken about the timescale for delivering the FSC capability, and studies continue to develop ideas for the platform solution. As such, decisions have not yet been taken on funding for either its assessment phase or the main investment phase.

Gulf War Syndrome

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a statement on the findings of the independent inquiry into Gulf War Syndrome headed by Lord Lloyd of Berwick.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 9 December 2004
	Lord Lloyd published the report into his unofficial investigation into Gulf Veterans' Illnesses on 17 November and we have studied it carefully as we would do with any other relevant material. We are of the view that it contains no new substantive or scientific evidence to support its conclusions and recommendations. It also fails to take into account the large amount of either substantive or scientific written material provided by the Ministry of Defence to Lord Lloyd to help inform his investigation.
	The report gives the impression that 6,000 veterans are suffering from ill health due to their service in the 1990–91 Gulf Conflict. We understand this refers to those veterans who have claimed a war pension. Although these veterans have served in the Gulf, many of the claims will be for disablements and illnesses unrelated to their Gulf service. The number of veterans in receipt of pensions or gratuities for unspecified, symptomatic Gulf-related illnesses is approximately 1,400, less than 3 per cent. of the personnel who served in the Gulf. Additionally, only some 100 claimants have failed to receive an award for Gulf-related illnesses, not the 272 stated by the Lloyd report. I announced on 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 354, that the MOD will investigate and review these cases that do relate to Gulf illness where these can be identified.
	We have been surprised by Lord Lloyd's refusal to disclose who sponsored and funded his investigation. This contrasts with Government policy of transparency and openness set out in our policy document "Gulf Veterans' Illnesses: A New Beginning", published in July 1997.

Health Liability Claims

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force National Council Report of 10 July 1998 for the health liability claims of British servicemen who served in the Pacific Region in the 1940s and 1950s; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The Ministry of Defence is examining files to establish whether or not consideration was given to the implications of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force National Council Report of 10 July 1998 for the health liability claims of British servicemen who served in the Pacific Region in the 1940s and 1950. I will write to the hon. Member once this examination is complete.
	Regarding claims from servicemen consequent of their service in the Pacific under section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. The British service personnel who served in the Pacific region in the 1940s and 1950s are prevented from pursuing claims for compensation from the Ministry of Defence. The repeal of section 10 by the Crown Proceedings (Armed Forces) Act 1987 was not made retrospective.
	Compensation in the form of a War Pension Compensation is, however, available to all former members of HM forces suffering from service attributable illness or injury. War Pensions are paid by the Veterans Agency and are non-discretionary, not means-tested and are made on a no-fault, tax free and retrospective basis. They are up-rated annually. The Veterans Agency also makes provision for the widows of service and ex-service personnel whose death is attributable to service in the form of a War Widows Pension.

HMS Daring

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been carried out of the implications for the Royal Navy of the gap between the in-service date for HMS Daring and the phasing out of the Sea Harrier in 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: An element of operational risk has been accepted, though a significant air defence capability will still be maintained.

IT Contracts

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by his Department in the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The Department commissions a very large number of IT contracts and in the last five year period around 20,000 IT related contracts of varying values were let. To ascertain which IT contracts were completed over the period and then compare their projected costs against actual costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Personnel Survey

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons questions relating to (a) racial and sexual harassment, (b) racial and sexual discrimination and (c) bullying were omitted from the sixth serving personnel survey for the Army completed in August; and how many (i) pages and (ii) questions the full report comprised.

Ivor Caplin: The full Army Continuous Attitude Survey (CAS) was published on the MOD's internet site on 26 October. Due to an administrative error the copies of the Army CAS that were placed in the Library of the Houses were incomplete. This error has now been rectified and steps taken to ensure that a mistake of this type will not occur again. Copies of the full Army CAS have now been placed in the Library of the House.
	The questions relating to racial and sexual harassment, racial and sexual discrimination and bullying were contained in the part of the Army CAS that was initially omitted from the copies placed in the Library of the House. The full Army CAS comprises 52 pages and 113 questions.

Procurement

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the cost-effectiveness of his Department's procurement policy.

Adam Ingram: Defence Procurement Policy is kept under continual review. For example, in 2004 the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) undertook a major review of its performance in the implementation of Smart Acquisition and is now implementing a major change programme to implement more consistently good performance across the agency. At departmental level, we have also identified proposals for the establishment of a senior level procurement process owner to improve procurement across the Department and have established a new Acquisition Policy Board, chaired by my noble friend the Minister for Defence Procurement, that will, amongst other matters, review defence procurement policy issues.

RAF Bases

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) military and (b) civilian personnel are based in each RAF base (i) in Scotland, (ii) in England, (iii) in Wales, (iv) in Northern Ireland and (v) abroad; how these numbers have changed in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Service Personnel data are not available at base level. Service location by local authority is published in TSP10. The latest publication available is July 2002. DASA are currently reviewing the source data and process by which location statistics are produced. The target date for completion of this review is January 2005.
	There are no centrally held reliable data on the number of civilians at base level. However, the following table gives the total number of full time equivalent civilians in the RAF budgetary units by country.
	
		Number of civilian personnel allocated to RAF budgetary units by country at 1 April each year -- Full time equivalent
		
			  Scotland England Wales N. Ireland Abroad Unallocated Grand total 
		
		
			 1993 1,280 16,420 2,800 180 60 360 21,110 
			 1994 1,300 15,590 2,940 190 70 440 20,540 
			 1995 1,300 14,810 3,130 190 60 430 19,930 
			 1996 1,320 14,140 3,300 210 50 450 19,470 
			 1997 1,380 13,660 3,530 210 40 470 19,290 
			 1998 1,310 13,330 3,650 220 50 480 19,040 
			 1999 1,660 14,300 3,720 210 50 510 20,440 
			 2000(20) 1,090 9,800 310 (20)— 30 340 11,570 
			 2001 1,080 9,670 320 (20)— 20 320 11,400 
			 2002 1,100 9,680 320 (20)— 10 350 11,460 
			 2003 1,080 9,720 380 (20)— 10 200 11,390 
			 2004 1,130 9,810 490 10 10 270 11,710 
		
	
	(20) the figure is less than 10.
	(21) Figures for 1993 to 1999 include staff in RAF Logistics Command. This ceased to be a separate budgetary area on 30 March 2000 with personnel forming part of the Defence Logistics Organisation.
	Note:
	Data for 1991 and 1992 are not available.
	Source:
	DASA (Civilian)

Record Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the private and personal records of (a) Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper and (b) Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook have been included in the transfer of records to Bourne Avenue, Hayes following the privatisation of the Ministry of Defence Records Office.

Ivor Caplin: The personal files of Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper and Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook have not been transferred to the TNT managed archives at Hayes. They are held by the RAF Personnel Management Agency.

Scottish Infantry Regiments

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each Scottish infantry regiment are (a) Scottish, (b) from elsewhere in the United Kingdom and (c) from overseas.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 107W, to my right hon. Friend for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes).

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Thales/BAe Systems

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's assessment is of the joint working between Thales and BAE Systems in Ministry of Defence contracts.

Adam Ingram: BAE Systems and Thales work together on many Ministry of Defence contracts, including CVF. The Department's overall assessment is that their joint working on those contracts is constructive and professional.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Acute Hospital Beds

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to ensure that acute hospital beds are not used for patients who are ready to be discharged from hospital.

Angela Smith: I have set a number of targets this year to reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospital of patients who are medically fit, in particular that the number of delayed discharge days is reduced by 10 per cent. compared to 2003–04 levels.
	My Department is taking forward a Regional Emergency Pressures Programme during 2004–05 which aims to streamline the processes relating to emergency patient flows in all hospitals by taking action under three broad headings: alternatives to hospital admission; streamlining in-hospital processes; and discharge issues.
	As part of this Programme, a number of compulsory actions have been identified for all Trusts to take forward, including a requirement to plan for the discharge of patients much earlier in the process and to ensure, other than in exceptional circumstances, the decision to discharge is taken by 2pm.
	An additional £6million non-recurrent funding was allocated to Boards this year to implement their winter plans which include a number of measures to improve the discharge of patients from acute hospitals. My Department has also made an additional £4 million available in 2004–05 for community care. With that investment, HSS Boards and Trusts have been required to provide services to support an additional 400 people in community settings by 31 March 2005.

Chemotherapy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the cost of chemotherapy drugs in the Province.

Angela Smith: Approximately £7.9 million was spent on chemotherapy drugs in 2003–04. Approximately £13.8 million of chemotherapy drugs demand is currently anticipated for 2004–05.
	Patients are being diagnosed earlier and are living longer and are therefore being given more courses of chemotherapy. The development of new, more effective but more expensive drugs is also driving up the cost.

Child Fostering

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to encourage the fostering of children in the Province.

Angela Smith: The Department is committed to improving the lives of looked after children and has promoted a number of initiatives to improve recruitment and retention of foster carers.
	In 2002–03, to promote and improve fostering services, the Department made the full implementation of three key National UK National Minimum Standards a Priority for Action for HSS Trusts.
	Resources of £14.8 million were spent on foster care in 2002–03.
	New Quality Standards for Fostering Agencies are currently being consulted upon by the Department with the aim of improving the quality of services to health and social services users.
	As proposed in the Draft Priorities and Budget 2005–08 document, the Department intends to provide an increase in foster care allowances and the introduction of a salaried foster care scheme, thereby enabling people to become foster carers who are reliant on paid employment, and the set up of a 24 hour/seven days a week support service for foster carers.

Community Care

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds are available for the provision of community care packages during the remainder of financial year 2004–05, broken down by health board area.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

Delayed Discharges

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many delayed discharge patients there are in Northern Ireland, broken down by health board area.

Angela Smith: The number of delayed discharge patients at 31 August 2004, broken down by health board area, is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Health board area Number of delayed discharge patients (August 2004) 
		
		
			 EHSSB 201 
			 NHSSB 141 
			 SHSSB 49 
			 WHSSB 23 
			 Northern Ireland 414 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Delayed discharges are recorded as a snapshot of the position at the end of each month. The latest available validated information is in respect of the position at 31 August 2004.
	2. Figures for health board area were calculated by totalling the number of patients delayed in each provider (hospital) trust within the appropriate health board area.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Ian Pearson: The total expenditure on energy for the past two years was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 491,164 
			 2003–04 763,857 
		
	
	This answer relates only to the Northern Ireland Office and does not include information in respect of the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Ian Pearson: We have had no expenditure on criminal damage during the last years.
	This answer relates only to the Northern Ireland Office and does not include information in respect of the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Paul Murphy: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what the cost has been in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments.

Paul Murphy: The Human Rights Act 1998 has been relied on in numerous cases both civil and criminal. The Northern Ireland Office does not keep a record of cases brought against it where a party to the proceedings has relied on the Act. Without analysing each case brought against the Department in detail it would be difficult to determine the impact of the Human Rights argument in any particular case as it is normally only one of a number of arguments deployed.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act.

Angela Smith: The implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will not affect the reviewing procedures for the selection of files deemed to be of historical and other research value. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has a records management policy that includes the appraisal of departmental files in order to identify files of permanent value. Files are selected for preservation on this basis when brought forward to the Public Record Office reviewers by Departments. Only a few sample files are preserved where the series of files is deemed to be of no historical interest. If a series is deemed to be of particular historical importance the complete series is preserved. The overall numbers of files selected for preservation will continue to depend on the historical value of the files reviewed in any given period.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers, special advisers and officials in his Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Ian Pearson: For the period April 2003 to March 2004:
	(a) 7 mobile telephones were used by Ministers and Special Advisors of the Northern Ireland Office, and
	(b) 1,677 mobile telephones were used by officials of the Northern Ireland Office and the 11 Departments of the NI Administration.
	Of these 27 were lost or stolen incurring a cost of £1,282.
	Information in the form requested for previous years is not held centrally and would only be available at disproportionate cost.

Disabled Access

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is available to businesses in the Province for adaptations to premises in response to new disability discrimination legislation.

John Spellar: The new Disability Discrimination legislation that came in on 1 October 2004 affected businesses both as employers and as providers of services to the public. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004, which implemented the Employment Framework Directive, extended the Disability Discrimination Act to cover certain new occupations and employers with fewer than 15 employees. Also 1 October 2004 saw the introduction of the final stage of duties on service providers. From that date they have had to make 'reasonable adjustments' in relation to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access. In effect this means that where a physical feature of a building makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services, a service provider will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter or provide a reasonable means of avoiding it.
	There is no specific funding available to help businesses with duties under the Disability Discrimination Act to meet these new requirements. This is because employers and service providers are only required to do what is reasonable, and factors such as the cost and practicability of making reasonable adjustments, and the financial and other resources available to the business will be taken into account in determining what is reasonable.
	The Department for Employment and Learning does not directly provide assistance to businesses to adapt premises in response to disability discrimination legislation. However, in certain circumstances assistance can be provided through Access to Work (NI) towards adaptation of premises to help overcome employment related obstacles faced by disabled employees.
	The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has undertaken wide-ranging publicity campaigns to raise awareness of these new duties in order to give employers and service providers the opportunity to understand, and plan for, their implementation. Their campaigns have been supported by a variety of information leaflets and promotional literature.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to business of each.

Paul Murphy: There have been no European Union directives or regulations implemented in the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last two years.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Paul Murphy: The total cost for the use of external consultants in the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last two years is as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 2,418,272 
			 2003–04 1,592,494 
			 2004–05(22) 2,880,224 
		
	
	(22) Up to and including September 2004.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total external spending by his Department was on Private Finance Initiative consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: The total external spending by this Department on Private Finance Initiative consultants in each of the last two years including how may full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was and how many consultancy firms were used by this Department over this period are as follows:
	
		Causeway Programme
		
			  Firm 1 Firm 2 
		
		
			 Year 2003–04 Firms used (2)   
			 FTE 1 7 
			 Billed Days 5.64 73 
			 Total Paid (ex VAT) £14,664.00 £57,969.00 
			 Implied Cost per Consultant £2,600.00 £794.10 
			
			 Year 2004–05 Firms Used (0)   
			 FTE — — 
			 Billed Days — — 
			 Total Paid (ex VAT) — — 
			 Implied Cost per consultant — — 
		
	
	IT Division
	NIO ITD spent approximately £30,000 on "Partnerships UK" for investigating PFI options for delivery of the FLAX Programme during 2002–03. This equated to approximately 12 consultancy days.
	This answer is in respect of the Northern Ireland Office only and does not include the 11 departments of the NI administration.

Health Expenditure

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by local health (a) boards and (b) trusts on (i) external contract staffing, (ii) external consultants and (iii) advertising in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is detailed in the following tables. The figures for external contract staffing and consultancy services are collected as one amount on the annual financial returns and as a result, the individual elements cannot be identified.
	
		Total NI expenditure on external contract staffing and consultancy services(23) -- £000
		
			 External contract staffing and consultancy services 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Board  
			 Eastern 59 108 90 119 56 
			 Northern 135 54 154 142 174 
			 Southern 111 126 57 149 0 
			 Western 41 59 44 109 31 
			 NI total 345 347 345 518 261 
		
	
	(23) Please note that any discrepancies in the totals are due to roundings
	Note:
	Expenditure in this category can vary from year-to-year and the amounts can relate to how services are provided in individual Trusts/Boards
	
		Total NI expenditure on advertising by Board(24) -- £000
		
			 Advertising 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Board  
			 Eastern 31 45 37 59 59 
			 Northern 14 23 44 42 54 
			 Southern 30 72 87 49 108 
			 Western 6 21 25 165 54 
			 NI total 81 162 193 315 275 
		
	
	(24) Please note that any discrepancies in the totals are due to roundings
	
		Total NI expenditure on external contract staffing and consultancy services by Trust(25) -- £000
		
			 External contract staffing and consultancy services 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Trust  
			 Altnagelvin 8 8 8 8 8 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 31 45 21 14 23 
			 Belfast City Hospital 62 193 207 191 203 
			 Causeway 60 47 36 57 116 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 38 72 86 54 76 
			 Craigavon Area 38 99 38 130 181 
			 Down Lisburn 40 27 6 19 65 
			 Foyle 34 12 4 9 8 
			 Greenpark 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Homefirst 59 87 86 188 274 
			 Mater 21 4 0 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 12 33 22 61 107 
			 NIAS 41 131 173 258 273 
			 North and West Belfast 28 23 62 90 34 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 209 215 221 223 199 
			 South and East Belfast 8 0 0 0 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 14 15 11 22 0 
			 Ulster 16 112 41 17 14 
			 United 112 21 28 36 83 
			 NI total 616 921 820 1,146 1,465 
		
	
	(25) Please note that any discrepancies in the totals are due to roundings.
	Note:
	Expenditure in this category can vary from year-to-year and the amounts can relate to how services are provided in individual Trusts/Boards
	
		Total NI expenditure on advertising by Trust -- £000
		
			 Advertising 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Trust  
			 Altnagelvin 74 56 100 113 221 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 53 66 100 77 71 
			 Belfast City Hospital 84 117 157 168 190 
			 Causeway 68 61 49 135 105 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 13 54 92 70 87 
			 Craigavon Area 49 74 89 49 97 
			 Down Lisburn 109 101 165 208 214 
			 Foyle 89 91 116 129 149 
			 Greenpark 47 65 76 138 116 
			 Homefirst 80 84 135 193 200 
			 Mater 31 37 50 65 71 
			 Newry and Mourne 66 100 73 102 27 
			 NIAS 18 14 22 33 34 
			 North and West Belfast 66 60 89 201 185 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 108 133 160 274 250 
			 South and East Belfast 114 76 86 122 179 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 81 108 110 127 152 
			 Ulster 75 101 154 253 175 
			 United 64 105 101 118 147 
			 NI Total 1,289 1,503 1,923 2,575 2,671 
		
	
	(26) Please note that any discrepancies in the totals are due to roundings

Health Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the proposed percentage of health funding that will be available for service expansion and development between 2005 and 2008.

Angela Smith: Consultation on the draft Budget Settlement for 2005–06 to 2007–08 concluded on 7 December 2004. The percentage of Health and Social Services funding available for service expansion and development will not be known until the outcome of this consultation has been finalised and the Revised Budget published.

Home Adaptation Budgets

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether allowances to the set home adaptation budgets are made in respect of social housing in areas where there are few new houses which are suitable for the elderly and disabled.

John Spellar: The Housing Executive's adaptation service for its tenants is driven by demand and budgets are set to reflect that demand. The availability of new houses would not be a factor in setting budgets. Rehousing people whose circumstances have changed, and as a consequence whose homes are no longer suitable for their needs, would most likely only be considered in areas with a greater supply of housing stock, especially newer housing.

Human Rights Commission (Annual Report)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of (a) Section 2 Paramilitary violence and (b) Section 3 Systems for investigating deaths of the Chief Commissioner's Overview of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2004.

Paul Murphy: I utterly deplore and condemn the vicious attacks highlighted in section 2 of the Chief Commissioner's overview, which in many cases have left the victims physically and mentally scarred for life. Despite making every effort to bring to justice those responsible for these acts, the police can be hampered when in their investigations if the victims fail to cooperate either through fear or because to do so may implicate them in other crimes. Prosecutions are therefore extremely rare.
	However, Government and law enforcement agencies continue to seek ways of addressing the problem effectively. The Independent Monitoring Commission will continue to monitor the level of paramilitary activity including shootings and assaults and report on this regularly to the British and Irish Governments.
	In relation to Section 3, following judgments of the European Court of Human Rights the Government has put together a package of remedial measures designed to address the judgments and improve the investigation of deaths including the inquest system. This package reflects the current position of the Government and remains under the consideration of the Committee of Minister's Deputies in Strasbourg.
	Furthermore, the Government recognises the continuing hurt that many feel about the number of deaths that remain unresolved. For those who have suffered the loss of loved ones, the possibility of coming to terms with what has happened in the past is made more remote because there remain significant unanswered questions. We must do everything possible to give those people the best chance of achieving that.
	The Serious Crime Review Team within the Police Service of Northern Ireland was established by the Chief Constable this spring to re-examine the files on some of these murders, and to establish whether there is any prospect of fuller reinvestigation leading to an outcome. It is recognised that this is painstaking work and places significant demands on police resources. As a consequence the Government has been working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on how this work might be expanded to process greater numbers of unresolved deaths and to do so in a way that commands the confidence of the wider community.

Ministerial Meetings

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Paul Murphy: The information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

North-east Area Plan

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the earliest possible date is on which he expects to receive the north-east area plan for Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Planning Service has decided to concentrate as many of the agency's resources as possible for a period of time, initially for six months, on the operational side of the business to deal with planning applications. This is because of the rapidly increasing and unprecedented workload pressures in this area. The temporary reallocation of resources will, however, have a knock-on effect on emerging area plans and progress on the remaining area plans will be slower then previously anticipated.
	The north-east area plan 1987–2002 will be superseded by the publication of the northern area plan 2016 and work on the draft northern area plan is in an advanced state of preparation. The importance of delivering full area plan coverage is recognised and the Planning Service will move forward with the area plan programme, including the northern area plan as quickly as is feasible. It is not possible at this stage however, to be precise about a time scale for its publication.

Nursing

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the nursing resource implications in the Province from the mentoring scheme suggested in the Consultation on a Standard to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice document.

Angela Smith: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has undertaken a consultation on a standard to support learning and assessment in practice; that consultation has now closed and the responses are being evaluated by the NMC. A decision on consideration of workforce implications will be made once the outcome of the NMC's consultation exercise is known.

Operating Theatres

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring forward amendments to legislation to allow operating department practitioners in the Province to have responsibility for the controlled drugs used in operating theatres.

Angela Smith: To date, the legislation regarding possession and supply of controlled drugs has confined the authority to possess or supply controlled drugs in the operating department to the nursing sister in the department and it has not been appropriate to delegate the holding of the controlled drug keys to other professional groups. However, as of September 2004, the Operating Department Practitioners and Miscellaneous Amendments Order has opened a new part of the Health Professions Council register (part 13) for Operating Department Practitioners. Although the number of Operating Department Practitioners in Northern Ireland is small, this does enhance their professional standing and it is anticipated that the role of the Operating Department Practitioner vis-à-vis the Registered Nurse will continue to evolve. The Department is about to undertake a review of non medical peri-operative staffing skill mix, roles, education and training needs and the issue of handling of controlled drugs will be revisited following the outcome of this review.

Paramilitaries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the (a) Provisional IRA, (b) INLA, (c) UDA and (d) UVF (i) have been convicted of criminal offences and (ii) have had their assets seized following investigations by the Assets Recovery Agency since its formation.

Ian Pearson: During the period 1 February 2003 to 30 September 2004, a total of three persons were convicted of membership offences in Northern Ireland 1 . Two of the three were convicted of membership of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the other of membership of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF). The three defendants were also convicted of a number of other offences.
	Cases are referred to the Assets Recovery Agency by law enforcement agencies. From its formation in February 2003 to the end of November 2004, the Agency had been referred 48 cases. As at 30 November, 12 cases were under active investigation with a total asset value of £4.9 million and eight cases were under assessment. The Agency has also frozen or recovered assets in a further eight cases involving around £3 million. The cases cover the whole range of organised crime among all groupings and areas across Northern Ireland.
	1 Being a Member of a Proscribed Organisation (s. 11(1) Terrorism Act 2000); Belonging to a Proscribed Organisation (s. 30(1)(a) Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996).

Police Service

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers stationed in east Belfast were on out-of-station duties on an average shift in the last period for which figures are available.

Ian Pearson: An average of 26 officers per shift are on out-of-station duties in East Belfast DCU.

Police Service

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police stations were in operation in east Belfast in each of the last six years.

Ian Pearson: Since 2001, when the DCU was formed, three stations have constituted East Belfast DCU, Strandtown, Willowfield and Mountpottinger.
	East Belfast DCU is also responsible for the security of sites at Garnerville, Knocknagoney and Brooklyn.
	Prior to 2001 Strandtown sub-division consisted of Strandtown and Dundonald stations.

Police Service

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers were stationed in east Belfast in each of the last six years.

Ian Pearson: Police officers stationed in east Belfast DCU over the past four years is detailed as follows:
	
		
			  Number of officers 
		
		
			 2004 398 
			 2003 400 
			 2002 382 
			 2001 426 
		
	
	East Belfast DCU did not exist in it's current form prior to 2001. It's boundaries and stations were different and a comparison is unrepresentative.

Police Service

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers work within the east Belfast district of Northern Ireland, broken down by principal duty conducted by each officer.

Ian Pearson: There are 398 officers, including part-time reserve, working within the east Belfast district of Northern Ireland. Their principal duties are detailed as follows:
	222 response and security
	68 part-time reservists
	36 police support and Criminal Justice Unit officers
	32 neighbourhood policing team officers
	20 CID officers
	15 crime team and motorcyclists and
	5 senior officers.

Radiography

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to collate information on the number of patients waiting for (a) MRI scans and (b) other radiological investigations.

Angela Smith: Officials will shortly be undertaking a review of the waiting list information collected by the Department. Waiting list information for MRI scans and other radiological procedures will be considered as part of this review.
	Officials will also be working closely with colleagues in Great Britain and will be taking account of the outcome of the Statistics Commission report "Enhancing the Value of Health Statistics: User Perspectives".

Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many whole time equivalent consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry are working (a) in Belfast and (b) within each of the Province's health boards.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Number of consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry working in Belfast trusts
		
			 Trust Whole time equivalent 
		
		
			 Greenpark trust 0.64 
			 Royal Group of hospitals 3.05 
			 South and East Belfast HSS trust 2.00 
			 Ulster community and hospitals trust 2.00 
			 Total 7.69 
		
	
	
		Number of consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry by health board
		
			 Area Whole time equivalent 
		
		
			 NHSSB 2.00 
			 SHSSB 3.00 
			 EHSSB 7.69 
			 WHSSB 2.00 
			 Total 14.69

Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the longest time a patient has been waiting for child and adolescent psychiatry assessment is at each health trust in the Province.

Angela Smith: The following table details the longest time a patient has been waiting for child and adolescent psychiatry assessment, at each of the Health Trusts in Northern Ireland, which provide Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services. The latest information available is representative of the position at 30 September 2004.
	
		
			 Provider trust Longest wait (days) 
		
		
			 Down and Lisburn HSS trust 635 
			 Ulster community and hospitals HSS trust 163 
			 Foyle HSS trust 1,334 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS trust 986 
			 Homefirst community HSS trust 275 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge community HSS trust 314 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS trust 488 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS trust 724 
			 South and East Belfast 111 
			 The Royal Group of Hospitals HSS trust 1,456

Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase the number of (a) child psychologists, (b) child psychotherapists, (c) social workers, (d) nurses and (e) occupational therapists, in the child and adolescent psychiatry specialty in the Province.

Angela Smith: In October 2002 the Department initiated a wide-ranging independent review of the law, policy and service provision affecting people with a mental health problem or a learning disability. Among other things, this review is examining child and adolescent mental health services. It is likely that many of the recommendations from this review will have workforce implications. The review is expected to complete towards the end of 2005 and further consideration will be given to the work force issues at that stage.

Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the remit of the Mental Health Review chaired by Professor Bamford includes regional child and adolescent psychiatry services.

Angela Smith: The Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability (Northern Ireland) does include regional child and adolescent psychiatry services and is examining the full range of mental health services for children and young people. It hopes to produce a draft report for consultation around spring 2005.

Roads

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenditure there has been on (a) new roads schemes and improvements and (b) repairs to the roads network in the Lagan Valley constituency in each year since 1997.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Jeffrey Donaldson, dated 10 December 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about expenditure on new roads schemes and improvements and repairs to the road network in the Lagan Valley constituency in each year since 1997. I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	Roads Service does not maintain details of expenditure on a parliamentary constituency basis, however, the table below shows the expenditure incurred by Roads Service on capital (major and minor) road improvement schemes, and on maintenance activities in the Lisburn City Council area during the period 1997/98 to 2001/02. Expenditure details by district council area for 2002/03 and 2003/04 are not yet available.
	
		£000
		
			  Capital(27) Maintenance 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,368 4,915 
			 1998–99 928 4,006 
			 1999–2000 646 4,551 
			 2000–01 837 4,239 
			 2001–02 906 5,141 
		
	
	(27) Capital includes major and minor works but excludes street lighting, car parks and plant/depot.
	In providing this information, I should like to emphasise that Roads Service does not simply apportion its total budget for capital and maintenance expenditure equally across district council areas. In particular, major road improvements are prioritised on a country-wide basis, not on a district council basis, taking account of a broad range of criteria such as strategic planning policy, traffic flows, number of accidents, potential travel save times, environmental impact and value for money. While the actual spend on a major works scheme may be within one council area, the benefits of such schemes are not confined to the district council area or constituency in which they are located.
	The resources available for minor capital schemes are allocated to the four Roads Service Divisions and, in turn, apportioned across district council areas on a needs-based priority approach using indicators such as population, weighted road lengths and the number of accidents. This ensures, so far as possible, an equitable distribution of funds across the country.
	Similarly the resources available for each maintenance activity (e.g. resurfacing, patching, gully emptying, grass cutting etc) are apportioned to district council areas using appropriate indicators of need.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Social Housing

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new social housing units have been built in the Lagan Valley constituency in each year since 1997.

John Spellar: Details of numbers of social housing units started in the Lagan Valley constituency in each year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of units 
		
		
			 1997–98 170 
			 1998–99 137 
			 1999–2000 229 
			 2000–01 73 
			 2001–02 9 
			 2002–03 113 
			 2003–04 114

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 and when each appeal was lodged;
	(2)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for special advisers in his Department since its implementation.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Truth and Reconciliation Processes

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with which groups he has discussed possible truth and reconciliation processes in the Province.

Paul Murphy: Following my statement to Parliament earlier this year, setting out my priorities and objectives for taking forward this work, my initial focus has been on taking private soundings. My deliberations have benefited from comments from a range of parties, both directly and in correspondence, and have also taken account of the wide range of views expressed in the course of Angela Smith's recent consultation with victims and their families in the context of developing the next phase of victims' strategies.
	The Government are clear that any process for dealing with the past in Northern Ireland must be one that all sections of the community can feel comfortable with and be involved in. While my consultation has, to date, been at an individual and private level, I recognise the need for this to become a much wider exercise which takes account of the needs and concerns of all people across Northern Ireland, and I hope to announce how this process will be extended in the new year.

Ulster Defence Association

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make it his policy that (a) the Government and (b) organisations supported by the Government will direct no settlement or compensatory payment to the UDA, their members or associates.

John Spellar: The UDA is a proscribed organisation and receives no Government payments. UDA membership or association does not of course prohibit individuals from receiving Government payments, compensatory or otherwise, to which they may be entitled for other reasons.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of those applying for antisocial behaviour orders in the past 12 months were registered social landlords.

Keith Hill: The number of antisocial behaviour orders, as notified to the Home Office, where the main complainant was a registered social landlord is as follows:
	January to June 2004 (latest data available): 29
	Data for the 3rd quarter of 2004 will be published in January 2005.

Avon Fire Brigades Union

Nick Harvey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the resolution submitted to his Department by the Avon Fire Brigades Union with reference to the future provision of fire and rescue control centres in the region.

Nick Raynsford: I have refused the request for a public inquiry. In a letter sent on 29 November 2004 to the chair of the South West Regional Management Board, I explained that there was no sound reason for initiating a public inquiry at this stage in the project. Any such inquiry would inevitably delay the whole national programme which will improve the capability and resilience of fire control operations.
	The Regional Control Centre project is itself a result of an independent review of fire and rescue control rooms by Mott MacDonald, which concluded in 2000 that current arrangements were costly and inefficient.
	When the Government consulted widely on the report in December last year there was broad support for the regional control centre approach. Earlier this year all Chairs of Regional Management Boards formally offered their commitment to making the project a success, including the Chair of the SW RMB.
	It is important to emphasise that this is a national project, designed to modernise and improve the quality of controls all over the country and to achieve national resilience by enabling control centres in all the regions to back each other up in the event of an emergency.
	The Government could not support any package of proposals that would lead to a worse Fire and Rescue Service.
	The modernisation of the Service and the establishment of regional fire control centres is not about cuts—it is about creating a better, more efficient Fire and Rescue Service that saves more lives.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Phil Hope: The total cost to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for accountancy services for the last two years was as follows:
	
		£
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 2002–03 3,317,568 
			 2003–04 3,133,224 
		
	
	These services are provided in-house.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years.

Phil Hope: The information is as follows:
	(a) Ministerial cars
	(i) 2002–03
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 November 2003, Official Report, columns 397–98W by my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander). A letter was deposited in the Library in relation to this response which gave the cost of ministerial cars for 2002–03.
	(ii) 2003–04
	My hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Ruth Kelly) asked Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles provided to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2003–04.
	(b) Taxis
	The cost of taxis used by Ministers and officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 September 2004, Official Report, column 745W.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not undertaken any refurbishment projects in its ministerial private offices in the last two years.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying the (a) title and purpose of each, (b) cost to public funds of each and (c) cost to businesses of each.

Phil Hope: The information is as follows:
	(a) During the last two years the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has implemented one Directive: 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the environmental effects of certain plans and programmes (the "Strategic Environmental Assessment" or SEA Directive).
	(b) The Regulatory Impact Assessment for this Directive includes estimates of the overall cost of compliance and copies are available in the library of the House and available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (HQ) undertook an equal pay review in 2003. A summary was deposited in the Library of the House in April 2004. Equality issues continue to be considered as part of the annual pay reviews, and the position monitored following implementation of annual pay awards.

Government Offices for the Regions

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff are employed by the Government offices for the regions; and how many have been seconded from Government Departments, broken down by Department.

Phil Hope: All staff working in Government offices are employed by one of the Departments which conduct business through them. There are currently 3,114 staff working for the Government offices (including permanent staff, fixed term appointments, casuals and staff on maternity leave, career breaks etc.) employed by seven sponsor Departments are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) 1,022 
			 Department for Transport (DFT) 210 
			 Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 737 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural  Affairs (DEFRA) 171 
			 Department for Education and Skills (DFES) 745 
			 Home Office (HO) 222 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) 7 
		
	
	A further 564 staff are co-located in Government office accommodation but not fully integrated into the management structure are tabled as follows:
	
		
			 Department Number of staff co-located 
		
		
			 DFES/Sure Start/Childrens Fund 160 
			 Department of Health 265 
			 Treasury 1 
			 Forestry Commission 2 
			 Cabinet Office/Government News Network 90 
			 Home Office 37 
			 ODPM 9 
		
	
	In addition there are 62 staff on short-term loan to Government offices from Government Departments and agencies:
	
		
			 Department Number 
		
		
			 ODPM 7 
			 DfT 2 
			 DTI 5 
			 DEFRA 5 
			 DfES 9 
			 Home Office 9 
			 DCMS 1 
			 Jobcentre Plus 2 
			 HM Prison Service 1 
			 ACAS 2 
			 The Countryside Agency 4 
			 English Nature 1 
			 DWP 2 
			 Regional Public Health 1 
			 Highways Agency 3 
			 DCA 2 
			 Customs and Excise 1 
			 FCO 2 
			 Environment Agency 1 
			 Government News Network 1 
			 HM Treasury 1

Grants

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cash incentive scheme grants have been made in each Government office region in each year since 2001–02; and what the total value was of these grants in each region.

Keith Hill: The information reported by local authorities in each Government office region on the number of cash incentive scheme grants made in each year since 2001–02 and the total value of their grants are tabled as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
			  Grants Total spend Grants Total spend Grants Total spend 
		
		
			 North East 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 3 13 0 0 1 8 
			 East Midlands 3 11 6 8 5 5 
			 East of England 91 510 53 303 89 317 
			 London 373 7,962 386 7,534 425 8,777 
			 South East 65 840 53 830 30 682 
			 South West 43 235 39 210 32 388 
			 West Midlands 83 256 34 68 29 44 
			 North West 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 England 661 9,827 571 8,953 611 10,221

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the London Housing Board's decision to invest £15 million for building new affordable housing outside London.

Keith Hill: The London's Housing Board's recommendations to Ministers for the allocation of housing investment in London for 2004–05 and 2005–06 included a proposal to develop cross regional mobility by investing £15–20 million of the £1.4 billion London Approved Development Programme (ADP) in affordable housing schemes in the East and South East regions in return for nominations to those schemes. Ministers agreed this proposal.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the viability of the One+One+One policy for providing a mixture of housing for rent, for sale and shared ownership in rural exception sites.

Keith Hill: Local authorities should define in their local plans what they consider to be affordable housing in their area, in terms of the relationship between local incomes and house prices or rents. The rural exception policy in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing" (PPG3) enables local authorities to grant permission for small sites solely for affordable housing for local needs in perpetuity. This policy ensures the deliverability of affordable housing in rural areas where the availability of land for development is more constrained than in urban areas. General market or mixed tenure schemes are therefore inappropriate for rural exception sites.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultation paper "Influencing the size, type and affordability of housing" published in July last year proposed to add new policy to PPG3 which would ensure that the affordable housing provision sought should not make development unviable, and encouraged local planning authorities to work with developers to ensure planning objectives reflect the development potential of sites. The update to PPG3 will be published early in the new year.

Housing Corporation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) administrative and (b) total expenditure of the Housing Corporation was in 1997; and what the forecast expenditure is for (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06.

Keith Hill: As published in the Housing Corporation's annual accounts for 1997–98, their administrative expenditure in 1997–98 was £29 million and the total expenditure (including administration) was £l,328 million.
	As at December 2004 the Housing Corporation's budget for administration is some £37 million in 2004–05 and 2005–06, out of total budgets of some £l,747 million and £l,723 million respectively. For 2005–06, these figures may be adjusted, for example following Regional Housing Board recommendations on the split of Regional Housing Pot resources.

Housing Stock

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total council-owned housing stock is in each housing authority in England; and how many and what percentage of dwellings (a) are unfit and (b) meet the decent homes standard.

Keith Hill: Local authorities' estimates of the number of dwellings they own and that (a) are unfit and (b) meet the Decent Homes Standard have been made available in the Library of the House.
	These figures are based on information provided by local authorities in the "Local Authority Housing Revenue Account Statistical Appendices—2004".
	It should be noted that homes may meet the Fitness Standard but not the Decent Homes Standard.
	To meet the Decent Homes Standard a home must meet the Fitness Standard, be in a reasonable state of repair, have reasonably modern facilities and services and provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.

Local Government

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  under what provisions the retrospective switch in grant from North Yorkshire county council to London boroughs, Metropolitan boroughs and urban unitary authorities is being made; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the grant switch on the level of council tax raised by county councils for 2005–06;
	(2)  what guidance he will issue to county councils on transferring resources which have already been committed;
	(3)  if he will give an assurance to county councils that future budgetary resources and grants will not be diverted.

Nick Raynsford: Amending Reports are made under section 84A of, and paragraph 13 of Schedule 8 to, the Local Government Finance Act 1988 ("the 1988 Act"). Section 84A of the 1988 Act was inserted by section 104 of, and paragraph 15 of Schedule 10 to, the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Paragraph 13 of Schedule 8 to the 1988 Act was substituted by section 104 of, and paragraph 7 of Schedule 10 to, the 1992 Act.
	The Amending Report for 2003–04 calculates the amount of grant each authority would have received had the revised mid-year population estimates published by the Office of National Statistics on 9 September 2004 been available at the time of the 2003–04 Settlement.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has always been clear that we would issue an amending report for the 2003–04 settlement to incorporate the revised 2001 population estimates. It is only fair that authorities should receive the correct amount of grant relative to the updated population estimates. Indeed we consulted on options for the 2003–04 and 2004–05 amending reports over the summer.
	However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister appreciates that it is not possible for authorities like North Yorkshire county council to reopen their budgets for 2003–04. For this reason we will pay, or recover, any changes in 2003–04 grant amounts during 2005–06; and we have amended the floor damping scheme for 2005–06 to ensure that all authorities should receive at least the floor increase in their formula grant after paying back any money owed under the 2003–04 Amending Report.
	It was announced on 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 101WS that we would postpone making the 2004–05 Amending Report until next year in order to ensure that all possible revisions to the data used in the 2004–05 settlement will be included.
	The Government announced its proposals for the local government settlement on 2 December. This ensures that all authorities will receive an above inflation grant increase for the third year running. Given this substantial investment in local government, the Government expects to see significantly lower council tax increases next year and expects the average council tax increase in England in 2005–06 to be less than 5 per cent. It is prepared to take even tougher capping action in 2005–06 than it did this year. This applies to all authorities, including fire and police authorities.
	High council tax increases are a thing of the past. The Government will not tolerate excessive council tax increases either next year or in years to come.

Local Government Ombudsman

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which body is responsible for dealing with complaints of maladministration against the local government ombudsman.

Nick Raynsford: The Local Government Act 1974 sets out the procedures which the Commission for Local Administration in England (the local government ombudsman) must follow in carrying out his investigations. Anyone who has a concern about the outcome of their complaint to the ombudsman, or the manner in which their complaint has been dealt with by the ombudsman's staff, can contact the ombudsman's office. The matter will then be considered by a senior member of staff, usually the deputy ombudsman. If the concern is about the actions of the ombudsman himself then the matter would be considered by the ombudsman. If he is unable to satisfy the concern raised, then the complainant can pursue in the courts an allegation of failure to carry out an investigation in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

Neighbourhood Renewal

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment for the Kensington New Deal for Communities area and the Elm Park neighbourhood of Liverpool will be published; and if he will make a copy available in the Library.

Phil Hope: The Regulatory Reform Order 2002 introduced greater flexibility for all local authorities in tackling private sector housing renewal. It also removed the need for the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, to approve the declaration of renewal areas. It is understood that the neighbourhood renewal assessments for Kensington including Elm Park are under consideration by Liverpool city council. Information on this is available on the council's website.

Pay Bargaining Unit

Paul Holmes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in his Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was established in May 2002 following Machinery of Government changes. The information on (a) the changing of appraisal systems and (b) the numbers and grades of staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's bargaining units directly involved in annual pay negotiations, is set out as follows. It should be noted that pay negotiation forms only part of wider responsibilities of the teams.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
	(a) None.
	(b) One Senior Civil Service equivalent, Grade 7 and two HEOs.
	The Planning Inspectorate
	(a) Once.
	(b) One Senior Civil Service equivalent, Grade 7, HEO and EO.
	Fire Service College
	(a) Once
	(b) One Senior Civil Service equivalent, Grade 7 and HEO.
	QEII Conference Centre
	(a) Twice.
	(b) The Centre's Chief Executive, a member of the Senior Civil Service and G7 equivalent.
	Government Offices
	(a) Once.
	(b) One Senior Civil Service equivalent, Grade 7 and HEO.

Rural Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to make an announcement on the exceptions policy for rural housing; and for what reasons an announcement has not yet been made.

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published her Department's five year strategy "Delivering the essentials of life" on 8 December 2004. The strategy signals that the rural exception policy will be retained.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultation paper 'Influencing the size, type and affordability of housing' published last year proposed to replace the rural exception policy with an allocation policy, which would enable local planning authorities to allocate sites solely for affordable housing. In the light of the consultation responses, we now intend to revise policy to enable local planning authorities to allocate sites in rural areas in plans, but also to take advantage of windfall sites through a continuing rural exception approach. We will make this change in the update to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing", which will be published early in the new year.

Shredding

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department has spent on acquiring shredding equipment for office use in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was formed in May 2002. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's procurement is devolved and such items of low value are purchased direct by end users. This level of detail on procurement is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sport and Recreation

Kate Hoey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list local authorities with strategies for sport and recreation.

Phil Hope: Local authorities produced non-statutory Cultural Strategies between 2000–01 and 2003–04 that covered planning for sports and recreation, as well as other cultural services. A list of authorities that produced these plans can be found on the Best Value Performance Indicator website: www.bvpi.gov.uk
	As part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's process of rationalising plan requirements, we are encouraging local authorities to subsume Cultural Strategies within their statutory Community Strategies. Guidance entitled "Living the Good Life" on how this process could happen has been published.

Students

Andy Reed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what plans he has to consult local communities affected by the concentration of high student numbers in his study into managing good practice in the provision of student accommodation; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what groups he has invited to participate in the study of managing housing good practice in the provision of student accommodation in areas of high concentration of students;
	(3)  when he proposes to establish the study funded by his Department into best practice on dealing with the problems associated with areas of high student numbers in accommodation.

Keith Hill: A joint project has been set in hand by Universities UK (UK) and the Local Government Association (LGA) with funding from the Department for Education and Skills. This follows concern over the impact on local communities of an expanding student population.
	The project is due to result in a publication in spring 2005, and will be divided into two parts, the first looking at the reasons, scale, nature and context of some of the problems associated with large numbers of students in the community. The second part will focus on good practice and will give examples of effective co-operation between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and local authorities and other partnerships in the community.
	As part of this project, researchers will survey universities in the UK and use the responses as the basis for further inquiries, in the form of interviews, which will involve a wide selection of stakeholders, including community interests.

Timber

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months in (i) his Office and (ii) each agency of his Office; what steps are being taken to ensure that timber will be procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister presently has the following refurbishment projects:
	
		
			   Project 
		
		
			 (a) In progress  
			 (i) In the office None 
			 (ii) In each agency of the office None 
			 (iii) In the Government office network Government Office East Midlands—space planning/reorganisation project 
			
			 (b) Will start in the next six months  
			 (i) In the office Eland House, London—space planning/reorganisation project on the 5th, 8th and 9th floors 
			 (ii) In each agency of the office None 
			 (iii) In the Government office network None 
		
	
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has defined refurbishment projects to be upgrading and efficiency projects exceeding £100,000.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently updating all its Procurement Terms and Conditions in line with a number of recent and forthcoming changes and appropriate clauses with respect environmental considerations will be included. Contracts where the use of timber and timber based products is anticipated, contain clauses that require the supplier to actively seek legally sourced and sustainable timber and to supply physical evidence that supports this. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has the use of framework contracts for the purchase of furniture, which are subject to supply chain audits by officials.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is presently co-operating with the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs and other Government Departments in the creation of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), and has agreed to provide funding to support the initiative.
	Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the buildings occupied by Government Offices, they carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Upward Only Rent Review

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will respond to the consultation on upward only rent review, which closed in September.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will make a decision on whether or not to legislate against upward only rent review clauses when we have studied the final report from Reading university on the impact of the property industry's voluntary Code of Practice for Commercial Leases. This report is due at the end of this month, alongside the responses to the consultation paper.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will make an announcement of our conclusions in due course, but there are complex issues at stake and it is important that we consider all the evidence fully before making a decision. It would not be appropriate at present to indicate a specific timetable, but we would hope to reach conclusions in the first half of 2005.

Video Conferencing

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) his Office and (b) each agency of his Office; what percentage of offices have these facilities; and what plans there are to increase the number.

Phil Hope: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has access to 13 video conferencing units in 10 of the 11 buildings occupied by his staff, one of these units is managed by another Government Department.
	(b) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's agencies have three video conferencing units, one in each of its three occupancies, one of these units is managed by another Government Department.
	(c) The Government Offices have 19 video conferencing units in 12 of its 13 buildings. 93 per cent. of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's occupancies have access to video conferencing facilities.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies regularly review the requirement for video conferencing equipment, with each proposal being considered on a value for money basis. The Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh has plans in place for the installation of a second video conferencing unit, which will be operational in February 2005.
	Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the buildings occupied by Government Offices, they carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

CABINET OFFICE

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the Office's policy is towards age discrimination.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office, Central Office of Information and the Government Car and Despatch Agency all have a commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age and this is set out clearly in the relevant equal opportunities policies. It is each organisation's policy that everyone should have equality of opportunity on the basis of their ability and suitability for the work.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the Duchy's policy is towards age discrimination.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has an equal opportunities policy and does not discriminate in respect of age.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make it her policy to disclose prior to the first week of May 2005 her Department's estimate of the overall cost within its existing budget of the creation and maintenance of a separate Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Departmental Annual Reports and Resource Accounts are published in accordance with Her Majesty's Treasury guidance.

Civil Service Sports Council

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, by what mechanisms land belonging to the Civil Service was transferred to the freehold ownership of the Civil Service Sports Council.

Ruth Kelly: Available records show that the freeholds of those lands and buildings belonging to various civil service departments which have been purchased by the Civil Service Sports Council were on the basis of open market value.
	Acquisition and disposal of such assets are a matter purely for the Civil Service Sports Council and its members.

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what her estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) the Office, (ii) agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which she has responsibility in each of the last two years.

Ruth Kelly: None of the properties owned by the Cabinet Office, its agencies and other public bodies for which the Cabinet Office is responsible were vacant in 2002–03 or in 2003–04.

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by the Duchy in each of the last two years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in the Duchy offices for each of the last two years.
	(3)  what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by the Duchy in each of the last two years.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster owns a wide portfolio of investment properties which have voids due to periods for re-letting, repairs or refurbishment. The Duchy Office at 1 Lancaster Place is the only building occupied for administrative purposes. This building is currently being refurbished from Duchy funds with a view to rationalising the space occupied and sub-letting surplus areas, as part of the investment activities of the Duchy. To provide figures at present would be inappropriate as they are commercially sensitive.
	The Duchy of Lancaster has not undertaken any PFI contracts.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by the Duchy and which took place on non-Duchy premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has not held any conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions or press conferences.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by the Office in each of the last two years.

Ruth Kelly: Since April 2002, canteen facilities at the Cabinet Office's core London buildings have been provided on a nil subsidy basis by the Department's total facilities management provider. To identify separately the cost of running the canteen service from other hospitality services also provided would incur disproportionate costs.
	For 2002–03 and 2003–04, the Government Car and Despatch Agency, an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office, incurred expenditure of £35,000 per annum for the running of a canteen facility at its London Headquarters site.
	For the remainder of the Cabinet Office estate, either no such expenditure was incurred or figures can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost has been of criminal damage to the Office's buildings in each of the last two years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Cost of Criminal Damage (£000) 
		
		
			 2002–03 500 
			 2003–04 4,300 
		
	
	There has been no lasting damage done to the fabric of any of the Department's buildings.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what crèche facilities are provided by the Office; and at what cost.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office has a nursery at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale which is run in partnership with the Edith Rose Day Nursery. The cost is subsidised for staff. Eligible staff in all locations can apply for childcare vouchers.
	Staff in Central London working for the Cabinet Office and the Central Office of Information have access during the school holidays to the Westminster Holiday Playscheme. The cost is subsidised for staff.
	A table showing the cost of childcare provision is shown.
	
		
			   Department   Type of childcare provision Cost to the Department (£000) 
		
		
			 Cabinet Office Nursery, Sunningdale (28)13,779 
			  Westminster Holiday Playscheme (29)1,638 
			  Childcare Vouchers (30)7,000 
			 Central Office of Information Westminster Holiday Playscheme (31)360 
		
	
	(28) (for the year 2003 to 2004)
	(29) (for the year 2003 to 2004)
	(30) (on average per month)
	(31) (for the year 2003 to 2004)

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department for staff in each of the last two years.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has no in-house catering facilities but does have access to catering facilities at the adjoining Institution of Electrical Engineers. Senior staff (five) are subsidised at £2 per meal while support staff (12) are subsidised at £3 per meal. This facility is only used in a very limited manner and the cost is minimal.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Alan Milburn: There is no record of criminal damage to the Duchy of Lancaster office.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what the total external spending by the Duchy on private finance initiative consultants was in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by the Duchy over this period; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the total external spending by the Duchy was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by the Duchy over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has not been involved in any Private Finance Initiative or Public Private Partnership projects.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what crèche facilities are provided by the Duchy for its administrative staff; and at what cost.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has no crèche facilities and within the staff no-one has requested such facilities or support to be made available. Such childcare needs are regularly monitored by the Chief Executive. The Duchy of Lancaster adopts a flexible approach to any requests for variations to standard working hours to enable parents to organise childcare support.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total cost to the Office was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Ruth Kelly: Expenditure on accountancy services is not separately identifiable on the Department's accounting system and therefore the information requested cannot be readily retrieved without incurring disproportionate cost.

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Alan Milburn: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Ministers official spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

Equal Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the most recent equal pay review included comparisons of (a) ethnic groups, (b) disabled and able-bodied and (c) part-time and full-time employees; and what differences of pay at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) London and (ii) national rates were found.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office, Central Office of Information and Government Car and Despatch Agency all operate their own delegated pay systems and therefore completed individual equal pay audits in 2003. Copies of the action plans and supporting analysis will be placed today in the Library.
	The approach and level of detail varied reflecting the size of the organisation and the issues they needed to address. Where comparisons were made no significant differences or trends were identified on ethnicity, staff with disabilities and working pattern.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment she has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in the Office.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office, Central Office of Information and Government Car and Despatch Agency all operate their own delegated pay systems and therefore completed individual equal pay audits in 2003. Copies of the audits are available in the Library. None of them identified significant differences in salary levels between men and women.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in the Duchy.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster has a policy of awarding pay to staff on the basis of ability regardless of gender.

IT Contracts

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by the Office in the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: Information relating to tender and completion costs for IT contracts is not held centrally and is not separately identifiable on the Department's accounting system. It cannot therefore be readily retrieved without incurring disproportionate cost.

Public Engagements

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for which of the five public engagements listed in his Answer of 2 December 2004, Official Report, column 252W, on public engagements, texts or transcripts of his presentations are publicly available.

Alan Milburn: A Transcript of the speech I gave on 9 November 2004 to the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) is available on the IPPR website www.ippr.org.uk
	Transcripts of the speeches I gave on the 23 November 2004, at the Guardian Public Services Awards, and on the 30 November 2004 at the Association of Chief Executive of Voluntary Organisations, are available on the Cabinet office website www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk"
	Copies of these speeches have today been placed in the Library.

Security Vetting

Llew Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether (a) spouses and (b) other partners of Cabinet Ministers are subject to security vetting.

Ruth Kelly: It has been a policy of successive Governments that Ministers of the Crown, and by extension their spouses or partners, are not subject to security vetting.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many complaints were made by her office's civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Sustainable Timber

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the refurbishment projects in her Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that timber for these projects will be procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Ruth Kelly: There are no refurbishment projects currently in progress and none are planned to start in the next six months. The model Contract Specification Clause for timber procurement is used in all appropriate Cabinet Office contracts.

HEALTH

Alcohol-related Illness

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of treating medical conditions deemed to be linked to the use of alcohol was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The cost of national health service treating medical conditions deemed to be linked to the use of alcohol is not routinely collected.
	In September 2003, the Prime Minister's strategy unit published the interim analytical report. This report calculated the cost to the NHS of alcohol misuse to be up to £1.7 billion per annum but this estimate was not restricted to the cost of treatment of medical conditions linked to the use of alcohol.

Ambulance Services (Gloucestershire)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements in ambulance services in Gloucestershire have taken place since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Since 1997, there have been many improvements to ambulance services within Gloucestershire. Some of the key achievements include:
	New investment into the Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust of just under £1 million.
	Improving category "A" eight-minute response standard from 49.7 per cent. in 1997 to 73.5 per cent. in 2003–04 (the standard is 75 per cent. within eight minutes). This has been achieved despite a 100 per cent. rise in activity.
	Maintaining a category "A" 19 minute response of 96 per cent. against a 95 per cent. standard.
	The addition of four ambulances and five response cars to assist with national targets.
	Increases in staffing levels from 180 front line staff to 210.
	Replacing a third of the accident and emergency vehicles in 2003–04. As a result, the trust now has a fleet of vehicles less than six-years-old.
	Recent investment in a new ambulance base at a cost of £1.7 million.

Atypical Anti-psychotic Drugs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the increase in prescribing of atypical anti-psychotic drugs as a proportion of anti-psychotics since the publication of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance recommending atypicals is in line with his forecasts and targets.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not made any forecasts or set targets relating to atypical anti-psychotics.
	Responsibility for implementing guidance published by National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is devolved within the national health service to local trusts, supported and performance managed by strategic health authorities. Since January 2002, the NHS has had three months from the date of publication of each technology appraisal guidance to provide funding so that clinical decisions made by doctors involving NICE recommended treatments or drugs can be funded.

Barnet Chase Farm Hospital Trust

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Barnet Chase Farm Hospital Trust communications strategy.

Stephen Ladyman: Communications is a responsibility for the local national health service trust. However, I understand that the trust agreed a communications strategy in 2003. That strategy encompasses internal and external communications and thus covers communications with staff, patients and the public and key opinion formers or "stakeholders" which include right hon. and hon. Members.

Bedfordshire Heartlands PCT

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) the financial situation of and (b) the future prospects for Bedfordshire Heartlands Primary Care Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: The annual accounts for 2003–04 for Bedfordshire Heartlands Primary Care Trust (PCT) show an overall deficit of £3 million. Information provided by the PCT shows it is forecasting a year end deficit in 2004–05 of £9.7 million.
	Overspends in national health service organisations have to be paid for from within the overall NHS budget. The strategic health authority and Bedfordshire Heartlands PCT are working closely to ensure that the PCT reaches a sustainable financial position, while maintaining an appropriate and affordable level of health care for the local community. The impact and handling of any deficit will be looked at as part of this process.
	While we expect overall financial balance across the NHS, this is not to say that there are no health bodies facing financial pressures. There are always pressures to be managed in year and substantial moneys have been allocated to the NHS to meet the increasing demands placed on it.

Cancer Care

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will adjust cancer targets to indicate quality of life and managed death indicators.

Melanie Johnson: The Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework, 2005–06 to 2007–08, "National Standards, Local Action", sets a national target on patient/user experience: to secure sustained national improvements in national health service patient experience by 2008, ensuring that individuals are fully involved in decisions about their health care, including choice of provider, as measured by independently validated surveys.
	The Government recognises that, although most people would prefer to remain at home rather than go into a hospice or hospital, only about 25 per cent. of cancer patients achieve a home death. We are supporting strategies that enable more patients to exercise choice in where they are cared for and die and funding specific initiatives in this area, including a £12 million investment over three years in the end of life care programme and a £6 million investment in integrated cancer care pilots. Both initiatives will enable more people to die in the place of their choice. The national cancer patient survey, conducted in 2000 prior to the launch of the NHS Cancer Plan, surveyed cancer patients' experience of care. The National Audit Office is presently undertaking a survey, "Tackling Cancer: Improving the Patient Journey", due to report in 2005, which will chart progress since 2000.

Carers (Pendle)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many carers there are in Pendle.

Melanie Johnson: Data on the number of unpaid carers is available from the 2001 Census—Table S025 Sex and Age by General Health and Provision of Unpaid Care—which is available from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Advice on information for particular smaller areas is available by contacting the ONS at census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk.

Cheltenham General Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been invested in paediatric services at the Cheltenham General Hospital since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	Between 2003–04 and 2005–06, Cotswold and Vale PCT, which commissions services from the Gloucestershire Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, which is in turn responsible for the Cheltenham General Hospital, will receive an increase in its allocation of £42.2 million, equivalent to 28.87 per cent., for health care services, which includes paediatric services.

Cheltenham General Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional ambulance services will be available to transport child patients to the Gloucester Royal Hospital if proposals to transfer dedicated round-the-clock children's services at the Cheltenham General Hospital go ahead.

Rosie Winterton: Following the "Shifting the Balance of Power" initiative, responsibility for local services now lies with the local national health service. It is now for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with other NHS organisations in their area, to determine how best to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.
	However, I am informed that the Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust has had extensive dialogue with the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in regard to the impact of the local review of children's services. Some of the proposed developments will be introduced regardless of what changes, if any, are introduced as a result of the children's services review. Areas concerned are as follows:
	In order to ensure that children receive prompt appropriate treatment for their condition, they will be assessed by ambulance service clinicians and transported to the most appropriate treatment centre. All ambulance service clinicians have recently received additional training for the treatment of children and the trust has invested in new equipment appropriate to the needs of children.
	The Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is working with the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to improve the equipment provided for neonates. This will include the procurement of a new incubator, which will meet the new British Standard regulations.
	At least one new ambulance will be purchased and staffed 365 days a year to facilitate the transfer of children, should the need arise. In addition to this, the utilisation of all ambulances will be improved.

Cheltenham General Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been treated at the Battledown Ward of Cheltenham General Hospital in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Childhood Anaemia

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage the iron intake of children to prevent childhood anaemia; and what assessment he has made of the incidence of childhood anaemia in the last 20 years.

Melanie Johnson: The Government are committed to improve children's diet and health and action will be taken forward through the Government's recently published White Paper, "Choosing Health". Most people are able to meet their nutritional needs by eating a balanced, varied diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables. Vulnerable children from families in receipt of the Welfare Food Scheme are provided with supplements including vitamin A, C and D. Vitamin C in particular aids the absorption of iron from the diet. Iron supplements may also be prescribed to children with iron deficiency anaemia that does not improve with appropriate dietary advice.
	The Department and the Foods Standards Agency undertake regular surveys to monitor the diet and health of children. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2000 showed that, according to the World Health Organisation criteria based on blood haemoglobin levels, three per cent., of boys aged four to six years were anaemic, compared to one per cent., for those aged seven to eighteen years. For girls, eight per cent. of those aged four to six years, four per cent. aged seven to ten years and nine per cent. aged 15–18 years were anaemic.

Childhood Spinal Deformity

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on the review of services for children with scoliosis and spinal deformity; when he expects this work to be completed; and how the recommendations of this review will be taken forward.

Stephen Ladyman: This review, which has wide stakeholder representation, is being led by the London specialised commissioning group. It produced its first report in May 2004. The review group is now doing some detailed work on clinical guidelines, a framework for commissioning services, workforce issues and patient information. This is due to be completed in the next year and the London specialised commissioning group will be taking its recommendations forward in partnership with all the other specialised commissioning groups throughout England.
	As part of the implementation of the children's national service framework, we also propose to publish an exemplar on a child with a spinal deformity early in 2005.

Communication Masts (Health Effects)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on the cumulative effects of multiple mobile phone/Tetra masts on the health of people living nearby.

Melanie Johnson: The mobile telecommunications and health research programme supports about 30 studies of the potential effects of mobile phone telecommunications. Many of these are generic and accordingly relevant to TETRA. Some studies include a specific examination of the effects of TETRA. The programme is described on the web site www.mthr.org.uk. An associated programme, specifically on TETRA, is being funded by the Home Office www.policereform.gov.uk/implementation/tetra/index.html. In general, the studies are concerned mainly with mobile phones rather than base stations (masts) because the public exposure from base station emissions is very much lower than the international guidelines.
	The public health implications of mobile phones base stations were reviewed recently in a report by the National Radiological Protection Board's advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR). The report, entitled "Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic fields", (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 14, No2, 2003) concluded that "Exposure levels from living near to mobile phone base stations are extremely low, and the overall evidence indicates that they are unlikely to pose a risk to health" www.nrpb.org. In 2001, at the request of the Home Office, AGNIR reported on TETRA and concluded that "current evidence suggests that it is unlikely that the special features of the signals from TETRA mobile terminals and repeaters pose a hazard to health" (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 12, No 2, 2001).
	The Department supports the World Health Organisation's electromagnetic fields project, which is currently reviewing worldwide research and is due to publish a health risk assessment of radiofrequency effects in 2007. This will be available on the WHO'S website at www.who.int/peh-emf.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: Costs for the provision of energy to the Department's main London estate for 2002–03 and 2003–04 are shown in the table.
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Gas 108,675 106,278 
			 Electricity 627,137 658,347 
			 Oil 3,712 811 
		
	
	The other main departmental building, situated in Leeds, is managed by Land Securities Trillium on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department of Health pays an annual charge for energy for its occupation, as shown in the table.
	
		
			  Gas and electricity (£) 
		
		
			 2002–03 267,997 
			 2003–04 256,000

Dermatology Treatment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) average and (b) maximum time was that a patient waited for a first dermatology outpatient appointment in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement

Stephen Ladyman: The data held centrally are shown in the tables.
	
		Average waiting time from general practitioner (GP) referral to first dermatology outpatient appointment.
		
			 Quarter Median (weeks) 
		
		
			 Q3 2003–04 8.04 
			 Q4 2003–04 7.51 
			 Q1 2004–05 6.98 
			 Q2 2004–05 7.51 
		
	
	
		Maximum waiting time from GP referral to first dermatology outpatient appointment
		
			 Quarter Not seen within 13 weeks or more Not seen within 17 weeks or more Not seen within 21 weeks or more Not seen within 26 weeks or more 
		
		
			 Q3 2003–04 11,559 2,185 1,377 174 
			 Q4 2003–04 2,521 13 1,069 217 
			 Q1 2004–05 5,601 20 286 (32)— 
			 Q2 2004–05 8,042 20 123 (32)— 
		
	
	(32) Not collected.
	Source:
	Department of Health QM08R Commissioner Based

Diabetes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS organisations in implementing the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance technology appraisal, published in May 2003, on patient education models on diabetes.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal on the use of patient-education models for diabetes is due to be reviewed in February 2006. The diabetes dataset currently being developed will include the type of structured education offered, the date it was offered, and the date it was received.
	The diabetes national service framework (NSF) and the NICE technology appraisal of patient-education models for diabetes make it clear that primary care trusts should offer structured education programmes to people with diabetes from the point of diagnosis.
	Two national structured education programmes for people with diabetes are currently being rolled-out. These are DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating) for Type 1 and DESMOND (diabetes education and self-management for ongoing and newly diagnosed) for Type 2.

Diabetes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people inject Insulin daily for the treatment of their diabetes; and what proportion of these people inject animal insulin.

Rosie Winterton: Data on the numbers of people who inject Insulin are not available. However, the table shows the number and net cost of insulin prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England and the proportion of these derived from animals, up to September 2004.
	
		Number of prescription items and net ingredient cost of Insulins that were dispensed in the community in England, year to September 2004
		
			 Number of Number of prescription items (£000s) Percentage of total items Net ingredient cost (£000s) Percentage of total net ingredient cost 
		
		
			 Highly purified animal 166.4 4.0 5,703.5 3.0 
			 Human sequence  (GM Insulin) 3,951.3 96.0 183,540.6 97.0 
			 All Insulins 4,117.8 100.0 189,244.1 100.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The data is from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system which covers all prescription items that are dispensed in the community in England. This does not include drugs dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.
	2. Insulins are those defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 6.1.1, "Insulins". Insulin drugs have been grouped into highly purified animal and human sequence (GM) insulin in line with the British National Formulary (BNF)
	3. Doctors write prescriptions on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. The net ingredient cost refers to the cost (which the dispenser is reimbursed) of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees.

Diabetes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of primary care general practices have a diabetes clinic attached to them.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not centrally available.
	Various models of diabetes care have been established, following publication of the national service framework for diabetes. We are encouraging diabetes networks to agree a model of care that crosses organisational boundaries.

Diabetes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetes datasets defining minimum standards have NHS Information Standards Board approval.

Rosie Winterton: The diabetes summary core dataset was given national health service information standards board (ISB) approval in March 2003. This dataset was developed to support implementation of the national diabetes audit, rolled out in 2004.
	A wider continuing care reference dataset will be submitted to the ISB for approval as a national standard in January 2005.
	Specialist extension datasets to support paediatric care, eye care (and national retinal screening) and foot care have been developed and will be submitted to the ISB for national approval within the next year.

Digital Hearing Aids

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Coventry are on waiting lists for digital hearing aids.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.
	We have invested £94 million over two years, which will be used to make digital hearing aids available across England by April 2005.

Draft Mental Health Bill

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the code of practice to accompany the draft Mental Health Bill.

Rosie Winterton: The draft Mental Health Bill requires the appropriate authority, for example, the Secretary of State for Health, to publish a code of practice. The code of practice cannot be laid before Parliament until the Bill has been enacted. However, we plan to publish a first draft of the code of practice when the Mental Health Bill is introduced into Parliament.

Employment Advisers

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost of the commitment to provide access to an employment adviser for everyone with severe mental health problems made in the Choosing Health White Paper.

Rosie Winterton: The Social Exclusion Unit's recent report on social exclusion and mental health, copies of which are available in the Library, provides examples where the implementation of individual placement and support approach, which integrates an employment adviser within each clinical team and moves towards providing employment advice for all service users who express a desire to return to work, has proved cost neutral or cost saving. To support the commitment to work towards proving access to an employment advisor for everyone with severe mental health problems, £140 million has been invested in vocational and day services.

Employment Advisers

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of (a) the availability of employment advice and Individual Placement Support to people with severe mental health problems, (b) the demand for access to employment advice for people with severe mental health problems and (c) the number of people with severe mental health problems who do not have access to an employment adviser.

Rosie Winterton: Detailed information about the importance for people with mental health problems of employment advice and of individual placement support can be found in the in the social exclusion unit's recent report on social inclusion and mental health (ISBN: 1851127178) available in the Library, which sets out the evidence base. Although this approach has not been implemented across the country, there are a number of mental health provider trusts which are delivering this form of vocational rehabilitation with encouraging results.
	There is information relating to demand contained in the 2004 patient survey results published by the Healthcare Commission. Of the service users who felt they needed and would like help to find work, 53 per cent., said they had not received any. This is why the Government have invested £140 million in vocational and day services for people with severe mental health problems. This will be used to implement the international evidence on what works, while providing a range of services to meet different needs.

Employment Terms and Conditions

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what initiatives are being assessed by the Government to achieve the aim of improving the quality of jobs by reducing monotony, increasing job control and applying appropriate human resources practices and policies, referred to in the Choosing Health White Paper.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive has worked closely with its partners to develop Stress Management Standards are designed to help organisations identify effective and locally applicable solutions to manage work-related stress. The management standards encourage organisations to review periodically these solutions to ensure they have the desired outcome. The standards provide the yardstick by which organisations can gauge their performance in tackling a range of key stressors, including those associated with job design.

Expert Patients Programme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how many primary care trusts had completed all four pilot stage courses under the Expert Patients Programme on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 December;
	(2)  what the total cost to central funds has been of the Expert Patients Programme to date; and how much funding has been allocated to support the mainstreaming of the Expert Patients Programme across the NHS between 2004 and 2007;
	(3)  what plans he has to change the name of the Expert Patients Programme;
	(4)  how many primary care trusts are (a) running Expert Patients Programme courses and (b) committed to establishing Expert Patients Programme courses.

Melanie Johnson: From current information available from survey returns, 167 primary care trusts (PCTs) are known to have completed four pilot courses by 1 June 2004 and 204 PCTS delivered four courses or more by 1 December 2O04.
	290 PCTs are currently engaged in either pilot or post-pilot course activity. 191 PCTs, out of 280 PCTS who responded to the survey, have courses arranged post pilot. On average this equates to 4.8 courses per PCT, an escalation of 2.3 courses per PCT compared with the previous year.
	The total estimated cost to central funding to date amounts to £9 million, which includes support to the local implementation of the expert patients programme (EPP) through PCTs. Mainstreaming allocated funding for 2004–05 is £2 million. The allocation for 2005–07 is still under review.
	There are currently no plans to change the name of the EEP but I understand the EPP strategic management board has discussed the need to find a name which fully reflects the scope of the programme and its commitment to supported self-management by people with long term conditions, but no recommendation has yet been made.

Eye Tests

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior citizens in Bolton, North-East have access to free eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency are not collected centrally.
	The total number of sight tests paid for by Bolton Primary Care Trust in the year 2003–04 for people 'aged 60 and over' was 18,760. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

Fireworks

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many firework-related callouts to the ambulance service there were in England in (a) 2004 and (b) 2003.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Fluoride

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department provides to the British Fluoridation Society; and whether the society receives funding on a regular basis.

Melanie Johnson: Successive governments have funded the British Fluoridation Society. Funding of £85,000 in 2003–04 and £87,000 in 2004–05 has been provided.

Food Labelling

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his policy objectives for further discussion in the EU regarding legislation on (a) food supplements, (b) nutrition and health claims on food products and (c) sports nutrition products;
	(2)  if he will ensure that opportunities are provided under the UK's Presidency of the EU for discussions on legislation on (a) food supplements, (b) nutrition and health claims on food products and (c) sports nutrition products.

Melanie Johnson: The policy objectives for this legislation are as follows:
	The Food Supplements Directive was adopted in July 2002 and applies in member states from 1 August 2005. The Government must ensure that food supplements on sale after 1 August comply with the relevant legislation.
	The Government's objective is to improve consumer protection from misleading and fraudulent nutrition and health claims on food, with proportionate measures that minimise new burdens on business.
	The Government's policy in relation to proposals for European Union legislation on sports nutrition is to press for proportionate legislation, which protects public health and supports consumer choice.
	All Departments will be concentrating efforts on progressing the agenda of Council work, which will include the nutrition and health claims proposal. It would not be appropriate for discussion on the food supplements directive to be considered as Council business during this period as the Directive was adopted in July 2002 and applies from 1 August 2005. The Commission is expected to produce a formal proposal on sports nutrition products, but it has yet to publish its 2005 work programme. It is therefore unclear at this stage whether this will be available for discussion during the United Kingdom Presidency.

Food Supplements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the meetings with manufacturers, retailers and consumers of food supplements recently arranged by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health have resulted in further additions of nutrients and nutrient sources to the lists of permitted ingredients set out in the Annexes to the Food Supplements Directive and the appendices to the Food Supplements (England) Regulations; and whether he intends further to extend those lists prior to their coming into force in July 2005.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 6 December 2004, Official Report, column. 351–2W.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Homerton University Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Andrew Windross, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Moorfield Eye Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Moorfield Eye Hospital NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Moorfields Eye Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Thomas Boyd-Carpenter, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Papworth Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Papworth Hospital NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Papworth Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to John Beadsmoore, chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust (now Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust (now Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the chair of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Clive Morton, chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so; and how much the trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of these elections;
	(2)  how much money the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for (i) help in preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (ii) the conduct of these elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the chair of University Hospital Birmingham National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to John Charlton, chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so; and how much the trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections;
	(2)  how much money the Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital NHS Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for (i) help in preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the chair of Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to David Hooper, chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so; and how much the Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections;
	(2)  how much money the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for (i) help in preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Bradford Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to John Ryan, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the Addenbrooke's NHS Trust (now Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so; and how much the Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections;
	(2)  how much money the Addenbrooke's NHS Trust (now Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) paid to outside bodies for help with (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (i) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and how much the Trust spent on changing its name from Addenbrooke's NHS Trust to Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Cambridge University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Dr. Mary Archer, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so; and how much the Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections;
	(2)  how much money the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (a) compiling its register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help (a) in preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (b) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of City Hospitals Sunderland National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to David Graham, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of these elections; how much money the Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of these elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of The Countess of Chester Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Susan Sellers, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's enquiry. The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital Services NHS Trust (now Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital Services NHS Trust (now Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of these elections; how much money the Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Derby Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Peter Brewin, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Margaret Cox, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Gloucestershire Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Janet Trotter, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Patricia Moberly, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Peterborough Hospital NHS Trust spent on changing its name to Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Peterborough Hospitals National Health Service Trust. I have written to Clive Morton, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital Services NHS Trust (now Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) spent on changing its name from Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital Services NHS Trust to Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Derby Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Peter Brewin, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Peter Dixon, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the Stockport NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Stockport NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Stockport National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Robina Shah, Chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 
	(1)  how much the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the Trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the Trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the Trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to David Stone, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's enquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Royal Marsden NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Royal Marsden NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the chair of Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Tessa Green, chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the chair of Royal Devon and Exeter National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Ruth Hawker, chair, informing her of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Foundation Hospitals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust spent on preparing its application for foundation status; how much of this expenditure was paid to outside consultants; and how much the trust spent on preparing for foundation status after being given the go-ahead to do so;
	(2)  how much the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust spent on (a) compiling the register of electors for governors and (b) the conduct of elections; how much money the trust paid to outside bodies for help with (i) compiling its register of electors for governors and (ii) the conduct of elections; and to which outside organisations the trust paid fees for help in (A) preparing electoral registers for elections for governors and (B) the conduct of elections.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Chair of Queen Victoria Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. I have written to Hugh Ure, Chair, informing him of my right hon. Friend's inquiry.
	The Department provides a centrally provided programme of support and direct financial support to applicants preparing for NHS foundation trust status. It does not, however, hold information on the level of resources or the way in which resources are used by applicants in preparing for foundation status, including for their governance arrangements, as it is for each trust to determine how resources are best spent. Costs vary from trust to trust, depending on the individual circumstances of the organisation and its state of readiness.

Funding

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on heart disease and cancer care in Bolton, North-East in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not held centrally. Allocations of funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

General Social Care Council

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what performance standard has been set for processing an application by the General Social Care Council; how long it has taken on average in the last period for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Genito-Urinary Medicine

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been referred to genito-urinary medicine clinics in each year since 1997; and what proportion were given an appointment within 48 hours.

Melanie Johnson: Genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics provide open access patient care and patients do not have to be referred to them. The number of attendances at GUM clinics between 1997 and 2003 are shown in the table. Waiting times information are not collected centrally for the years in question. Results from a recent survey of GUM waiting times, GUM waiting times audit: May 2004, are available from the Health Protection Agency's website at www.hpa.org.uk.
	
		Total attendance at GUM clinics, by sex, England: 1997–2003
		
			  Male Female Total 
		
		
			 1997 443,344 525,498 968,842 
			 1998 475,271 556,520 1,031,791 
			 1999 496,017 572,879 1,068,896 
			 2000 536,110 609,982 1,146,092 
			 2001 604,189 681,153 1,285,342 
			 2002 704,076 779,767 1,483,843 
			 2003 969,934 1,076,914 2,046,848 
		
	
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency-KC60 returns.

GP Surgeries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available in each primary care trust area for upgrading or rebuilding general practitioner surgeries.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 18 November 2004, Official Report, column. 1966W.

Greater Manchester Surgical Unit, Trafford

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the business case was presented for the Greater Manchester Surgical Unit, Trafford to (a) the board of the relevant strategic health authority and (b) the respective boards of the Greater Manchester primary care trust; and when that business case was approved by these bodies;
	(2)  what surgical procedures will be undertaken by the Greater Manchester Surgical Unit, Trafford.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The Greater Manchester surgical centre will make a notable improvement on waiting times and waiting lists in Manchester. A range of surgical procedures will be undertaken at the centre including primary knee and hip replacements and minor surgery.
	Detailed information regarding the centre's business case is not held centrally. This information can be obtained from the Greater Manchester strategic health authority.

Health Services

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been made available for health services in Liverpool in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Allocations to Liverpool health authority (HA) and successor primary care trusts (PCTs) 1996–97 to 2005–06 -- £ thousand
		
			 HA/PCT 1996–97 allocation(33) 1997–98 allocation(33) 1998–99 allocation(33) 1999–2000 allocation(33) 2000–01 allocation(33) 
		
		
			 Liverpool HA 230,029 243,040 253,814 350,296 379,504 
			 Central Liverpool PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Liverpool PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Liverpool PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		£ thousand
		
			 HA/PCT 2001–02 allocation(33) 2002–03 allocation(33) 2003–04 allocation(33) 2004–05 allocation(33) 2005–06 allocation(33) 
		
		
			 Liverpool HA 410,236 453,913 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Central Liverpool PCT n/a n/a 286,884 321,165 358,315 
			 North Liverpool PCT n/a n/a 118,120 132,316 147,710 
			 South Liverpool PCT n/a n/a 100,413 110,029 120,103 
		
	
	(33) 1999–2000 is the first year of unified allocations covering hospital and community health services (HCHS), prescribing and general medical service cash limited.
	Note:
	These figures are not comparable with those for previous years, which cover HCHS only.

Health Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were in the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital's Trust in each year since its formation.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Newcastle-upon-Tyne hospitals national health service trust. Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs): 1998–99 to 2003–04
		
			  FCEs 
		
		
			 1998–99 155,082 
			 1999–2000 159,890 
			 2000–01 162,021 
			 2001–02 166,674 
			 2002–03 172,800 
			 2003–04 174,095 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	Hospital episode statistics, Department of Health.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has evaluated on the introduction of a national campaign on sexual health as set out in the White Paper, Choosing Health, Cm 6374, paragraph 15.

Melanie Johnson: A comprehensive review of research about sexual health campaigns, undertaken for the Department in 2002, analysed the benefits of a broad spectrum of public information campaigns. In the context of the White Paper, Choosing Health, this review is being updated to inform the development of the new campaign.

Hospital Infections

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital trusts in England recorded a reduction in hospital infections between 2003 and 2004.

Melanie Johnson: Information is not available for most healthcare associated infections, but data for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections are routinely available as the number of cases in each acute national health service trust and as the number of cases per 1,000 bed days. A comparison of MRSA rates for April 2003 to March 2004 with MRSA rates for April 2002 to March 2003 showed that rates had fallen in 45 of 173 acute NHS trusts in England.

Hospital Infections

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the MRSA cases reported in 2003–04 at Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Hospital Trust resulted in (a) death, (b) loss of physical ability or limbs and (c) enduring weeping wounds; and what the figures were in the previous two years.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 December 2004
	This information is not collected centrally.

Independent Treatment Centres

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many independent sector treatment centres have contacts with the NHS; and what assessment he has made of their impact on (a) patient care and (b) quality of life;
	(2)  whether there has been a reduction in NHS waiting lists in the areas in which independent sector treatment centres are operating;
	(3)  whether there has been a reduction in the number of NHS patients opting for private treatment in areas of the country where independent sector treatment centres are operating.

John Hutton: Seven contracts for independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) have been signed. More are expected to be signed shortly and all will be subject to review of their outcomes. The additional 250,000 patients ISTCs will be treating each year by the end of 2005 will help improve the quality of life for patients who previously may have had to wait longer for treatment.
	ISTCs have contributed to the 12 per cent., waiting list reductions over the past 12 months highlighted in the Chief Executive's report to the national health service (December 2004). Mobile magnetic resonance imaging units are also helping to speed up diagnosis and treatment for many patients.
	Data on the number of patients opting to pay for private treatment is not available.

Influenza Vaccinations

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received free influenza vaccinations in Bolton, North-East in 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not held centrally.

Insulin

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to give Synthetic Insulin Tolerance Syndrome drug protection under orphan drug status; and if he will take steps to ensure there are adequate available supplies of animal insulin from British animals.

Rosie Winterton: The decision on granting orphan designation rests with the European Commission, based on advice received from the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency. The procedures established for sponsors to apply for orphan designation, and the criteria upon which a decision on orphan designation is based, are described in the European Parliament and the Council Regulation (EC) 141/2000 and the Commission Regulation (EC) 847/2000.
	Adequate supplies of animal insulin are available from the two companies who currently supply the United Kingdom market.

Insulin

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will request the Committee on the Safety of Medicine to review its data on the application of insulin treatment for diabetic patients; and if he will list licensed manufacturers of human insulin;
	(2)  if he will list the ingredients in human insulin used to treat the symptoms of diabetes; and what steps are taken to ensure that diabetic patients injecting human insulin are advised of the likely side effects;
	(3)  how many reports were made to the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) about adverse drug reactions for the application of human insulin to diabetic sufferers in each of the last three years; how many human insulin drugs have been issued with a licence by the CSM; and if he will instruct the CSM to obtain all trial data on the effects of human insulins on diabetics.

Rosie Winterton: All new United Kingdom drug applications, including insulins, are evaluated by the committee on safety of medicines (CSM), which advises the Licensing Authority as to whether a marketing authorisation should be granted. The European applications are evaluated by the committee for medicinal products for human use (CHMP) on behalf of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). The applicant will include, in their submission, results of clinical trials conducted in the proposed indication for which the licence is sought. Therefore the data, including clinical trial data, on the effects of human insulins on diabetics is considered with each application. The CSM has kept the safety of human insulin under close review and considered the available data on a number of occasions.
	Reports of "suspected" adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and CSM through the spontaneous reporting scheme, the yellow card scheme. Approximately 20,000 reports of ADRs are reported to the MHRA/CSM through this scheme each year.
	The table shows the total number of suspected ADR reports received via the yellow card scheme for human insulin in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
	
		
			  Total number of reports received 
		
		
			 2001 55 
			 2002 59 
			 2003 142 
		
	
	It is important to note that a report of an adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug. Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing causal relationships including temporal association, the possible contribution of concomitant medication and the underlying disease. Additionally, the use of medicines may vary between different age groups. Use of medicines in the elderly, for example, is higher than in other age groups and elderly patients are more likely to be using combinations of medicines. The number of reports received via the yellow card scheme does not directly equate to the number of people who suffer adverse reactions to drugs for a number of reasons as this scheme is associated with an unknown level of under-reporting.
	The likely side effects of human insulin are listed in the patient information leaflet that accompanies the prescribed medicine.
	The ingredient in human insulin used to treat the symptoms of diabetes is insulin. Other ingredients are to formulate the product and are: glycerol, phenol, metacresol, zinc chloride, sodium chloride, disodium phosphate dehydrate, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and water for injection.
	The following companies manufacture human and/or recombinant insulins, which are authorised in the UK:
	Abbott Laboratories Inc. (USA)
	Aventis Pharma (Germany)
	Eli Lilly (France)
	Hoechst Marion Roussell (Germany)
	Human Pharmaceutical Work Co. Ltd. (Hungary)
	Laboratories Organon SA (France)
	Novo Nordisk (Denmark, USA and France)
	There are 213 individual marketing authorisations for human and/or recombinant insulins in the UK, of which 18 were authorised by the UK's MHRA. All other licences are European authorisations and were authorised by the European Commission, following assessment by the EMEA. The 18 licences authorised by the Medicines Control Agency/MHRA are all manufactured by Novo Nordisk in France.

Locum Doctors (North Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of locum doctors under the new out-of-hours arrangements for general practitioners in North Yorkshire.

Melanie Johnson: North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority estimates that around 20 per cent. of the out of hours general practitioner services provided by North Yorkshire emergency doctors is currently provided by locum doctors.

Mental Health

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether small businesses will be the subject of vexatious litigation arising from the proposal to challenge discrimination against people with mental health difficulties, referred to in the Choosing Health White Paper; and what discussions he has had with other Government Departments in making this assessment.

Rosie Winterton: No assessment has been made of the risk of vexatious litigation arising from those wishing to challenge discrimination against people with mental health difficulties. The policies set out in "Choosing Health" were developed after wide ranging consultation and we will be working with key stakeholders in their planning and implementation.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MIND facilities in England have had their public funding reduced for 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not centrally available. In accordance with our policy of shifting the balance of power, supported by other national policy documents such as the national service framework for mental health, primary care trusts in conjunction with their strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders are responsible for assessing local health needs, and planning the allocation of their resources accordingly.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many graduate mental health workers (a) were employed in 2004 and (b) need to be recruited in 2005–06 to meet Government targets.

Rosie Winterton: The requested information is not yet available. Progress on the number of graduate primary care mental health workers employed in the national health service will be available when the Durham adult mental health service mapping is finalised in May 2005.

Milk Token Scheme

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include goats milk in the infant token scheme.

Melanie Johnson: Expert advice from the committee on medical aspects of food policy is that goats' milk, like cows' milk, is low in iron, vitamins A and D and is also low in folic acid compared to human and cows' milk. Goats' milk is often perceived as being less allergenic than cows' milk, or else providing additional nourishment, although these claims have not been substantiated. Infant formulas and follow-on formulas based on goats' milk have not been approved for use in Europe and are not recommended by the Department.
	Goats' milk may be given from the age of one year, so long as precautions against vitamin and mineral deficiencies are taken and due regard is paid to microbiological safety.
	It is for these reasons that goats' milk is—excluded from the Welfare Food Scheme. Where a child has a diagnosed intolerance to cows' milk, a doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative. Prescriptions are, of course, free for children and those in receipt of income support.

Mumps

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has issued about the efficacy of the MMR vaccination for preventing mumps after 10 years from the date of vaccination.

Melanie Johnson: Advice is contained in the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) factsheet No. 1, originally issued in 1997 and stated the following:
	"There is very little evidence that immunity to measles, mumps, or rubella vaccines wanes with time. It is known that children will remain immune for at least 27 years against measles, 18 years against rubella and 14 years against mumps—in other words for the amount of time that the vaccines have been available. Even if individuals are not fully protected, the immune system will have some memory and be able to respond more quickly in the immunised than in those who have not been immunised. Immunised children with low levels of antibodies are likely to have a modified, less serious, illness. Long-term studies on the duration of protection are continuing."
	The text of the factsheet is available at www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/resources/pdf/factsheets1–3.pdf.

Mumps

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have contracted mumps in each of the last five years; and how many were minors.

Melanie Johnson: The information is in the public domain and available on the Health Protection Agency's website at www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/mumps/data_reg_age.htm.

National Programme for IT

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the introduction of the National Programme for IT computer system into the NHS;
	(2)  what the estimated cost is of introducing the National Programme for IT into the NHS; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what choice users of the National Programme for IT in the NHS will have of software suppliers; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what use will be made of existing computer systems when the National Programme for IT system is introduced into the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The national programme for information technology (NPfIT) will over the next nine years, revolutionise the way health information is accessed and shared in the national health service. The NPfIT focuses on the developments that will make a significant difference to improving the patient experience and the delivery of treatment, care and services. It will connect more than 30,000 general practitioners and 270 acute, community and mental health NHS trusts in a single, secure national system, providing doctors and nurses with the right information in the right place at the right time, and allow patients much greater choice in how and where they receive their care. NPfTT is a key component of delivering the vision of a truly modern and patient-centred NHS.
	NPfIT has four key deliverables: electronic appointment booking, an electronic care records service, electronic transfer of prescriptions and an underpinning IT infrastructure with sufficient connectivity and broadband capacity to support the critical national applications and local systems.
	Under the NPfIT, an incremental approach is being adopted to building up any new applications or systems. This approach is intended to ensure that implementation is achievable and minimises disruption to the day-to-day business of the NHS. As a consequence the NPfTPs strategy underlines the importance of making best use of the existing asset base. NHS users, including general practitioners, will not be expected to change clinical systems while their current systems are compliant with the NHS care record service and continue to serve them well. We have repeatedly made it clear, in particular when speaking with general practitioners, and in written guidance, that practices may continue to use existing systems subject to their remaining compliant, and being able to deliver the required functionality, until the national programme's local service provider (LSP) is able to implement a viable alternative system. LSPs are required to provide a choice of GP system as part of their service offering.
	The NPfIT was planned and is being delivered, within expenditure assumptions set in line with the recommendations of the 2002 Wanless Report 'Securing our Future Health'. Wanless anticipated an increase in the level of spending on NHS information and communications technology, rising to around 4 per cent. of the total NHS budget on NHS IT in general by 2008. The Government is committed to seeing this target, which extends beyond just the NPfTT national clinical systems, achieved. The costs of the procurement contracts let for the programme's four core components amount to £6.2 billion over 10 years. This figure relate to contractual commitments and covers ongoing funding of core deliverables and the connection of existing systems to national applications from central budgets. It does not include costs of training NHS staff or local change management costs, which will be borne by individual NHS organisations. Future funding to the NHS, determined by the next and future expenditure settlements, is expected to support trusts in meeting and sustaining the 4 per cent. target.

NHS Cleaners

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cleaners, as distinct from other ancillary staff, are employed by (a) the NHS and (b) private contractors providing services to the NHS.

John Hutton: The latest available figure for staff who undertake cleaning in the national health service is 55,000 for 2003–04. This figure represents the headcount of both directly employed and contracted out cleaning staff. It excludes managers, administrative and supervisory staff who do not physically carry out cleaning functions.

NHS Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure is planned for the NHS in each financial year from 2005–06 to 2007–08.

John Hutton: The following table shows planned total net national health service expenditure in England for the period 2005–06 to 2007–08.
	
		£ billion
		
			  Planned total net NHS expenditure(34) 
		
		
			 2005–06 76.4 
			 2006–07 83.8 
			 2007–08 92.1 
		
	
	(34) Figures for 2005–06 to 2007–08 are on a full resource budgeting basis.

NHS Staff

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Bolton, North-East in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Nursing Bursaries

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down by age recipients of NHS bursaries for nurse training in each year since 2000.

John Hutton: The following table sets out a summary of the total number of nursing students, by age, who have received a national health service bursary from 1 September 2000.
	
		
			 Age (35)2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 (36)2004–05 
		
		
			 Less than 21 5,804 6,320 7,908 11,009 13,245 
			 21–25 15,679 18,649 20,322 18,651 13,929 
			 26–30 5,362 8,279 9,543 9,280 7,714 
			 31–35 3,096 6,447 7,704 7,946 6,820 
			 36–40 2,437 5,405 6,537 6,897 5,957 
			 41–45 1,417 3,225 4,008 4,208 3,622 
			 46–50 598 1,310 1,640 1,719 1,471 
			 51–55 138 343 417 458 348 
			 56–60 16 42 59 69 53 
			 More than 60 1 2 3 2 2 
			 Total 34,458 50,022 58,141 60,239 53,161 
		
	
	(35) Includes estimated figures
	(36) Academic year to date

Patient Counselling/Education

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in using patients diagnosed with particular conditions as a bank of advice and counselling for those recently diagnosed with the same condition.

Melanie Johnson: Approximately 17,000 people with long-term conditions have participated in 1,312 self management training courses delivered by 803 volunteer tutors with long term conditions who have been trained to deliver the Experts Patients Programme.

Patient Counselling/Education

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding the informed patient project will receive in each year until 2009–10; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The informed patient project is a three-year initiative that is funded centrally and is in its second year. The budget allocation for 2004–05 was £2,127,000 and detailed allocation of future resources have still to be finalised. Informed patient project activities will form part of the forthcoming information for choice strategy, due for publication later this month, which is a three year programme of national and local actions to help people make more informed choices about their health and healthcare.

Pregnancy Advisory Service

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money was made available to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service for its work in each of the last three years.

Melanie Johnson: The Department has not directly funded the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) in the last three years. We do not collect data on the funding BPAS receives through its contracts with primary care trusts.

Premature Death

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will define the meaning of premature death when used for the purposes of policy making in his Department.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 9 December 2004
	There is no internationally agreed definition of premature mortality. Following extensive public consultation, the national mortality targets set for specific major diseases in the "Our Healthier Nation White Paper" in 1999, and subsequently adopted in the Department's public service agreement targets for 2004, use deaths under 75 years to represent "premature mortality". This reflects average expectation of life at birth, which is currently around 75 years for men and 80 years for women.

Primary Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of primary care premises are over 30 years old.

John Hutton: This information is not collected centrally.

Primary Care

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Department will be able to assess expenditure in individual cases for each primary care trust.

John Hutton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) publish audited accounts information in the autumn following the end of the relevant financial year. Audited accounts information for the 2003–04 financial year is available locally for each PCT and from the Department for all PCTs. The audited information in respect of the 2004–05 financial year for all PCTs will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2005.

Primary Care

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what public scrutiny takes place of the spending of primary care trusts top-sliced for private operations;
	(2)  what percentage of primary care trust funds in each strategic health authority area are top-sliced for private operations.

John Hutton: There is no top-slicing of primary care trusts' (PCTs) funds for private operations. It is the responsibility of PCTs to determine how best to use their funding based on the needs of their local populations, taking into account Government policy as well as national and local priorities.
	While no top-slicing takes place, PCTs' accounts are, of course, subject to annual audit.

Programme Budget Project Group

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the report of the programme budget project group will be published.

John Hutton: The programme budget project group has no plans to publish a report. However, a programme budget spend analysis produced by primary care trusts as part of their 2003–04 financial returns will be made public shortly.

Psychotherapy

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision for psychotherapy is available under the national health service in England.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect information centrally concerning the provision of psychological therapies by type or location. Decisions about provision are a local responsibility, taking into account national guidance, such as the "National Service Framework for Mental Health (1999)", copies of which are available in the Library, and "Organising and Delivering Psychological Therapies (2004)".
	The Department also published "Treatment Choice in Psychological Therapies and Counselling (2001)" to aid decisions about which forms of psychological therapy are most appropriate for which patients. Copies of the last two documents have been placed in the Library.
	These publications are available on the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolteyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthPublications/fs/en?CONTENT IO=4016395&chk =cxOUgO

Public Bodies

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by (a) the Human Tissue Authority and (b) the Commission for Public and Patient Involvement in Health; what the running cost of each body was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the future of each body.

Rosie Winterton: The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) will be created in shadow form on 1 April 2005 to draw up the codes of practice and inspection arrangements relating to the taking, storage and use of human tissue and organs. The number of staff and running costs have yet to be decided.
	The HTA will exist until 2008 when it will be replaced by the Regulatory Authority for Fertility and Tissue (RAFT). RAFT will be responsible for regulating and inspecting all functions relating to human tissue, including blood, organs, tissues, cells, gametes and embryos and will absorb the functions.
	During 2003–04, the running costs for the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) were £23,677,000 and as at 31 March 2004, there were 197 whole time equivalent posts.
	The Department arm's length body review announced the abolition of CPPIH and subject to legislation, its dissolution is due to be completed by 1 August 2006.

Royal Free Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reconfiguration of maternity services at the Royal Free Hospital.

Stephen Ladyman: I understand that proposals concerning the future of maternity services in North Central London, including those provided at the Royal Free Hospital, are still being considered within the strategic health authority. Formal consultation on the proposals is expected to take place in summer 2005 once this work is complete.

Schizophrenia

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between the National Institute for Mental Health England and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) regarding the implementation of NICE guidelines on the management of schizophrenia.

Rosie Winterton: There have not been any discussions between the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) specifically about the implementation of the NICE guidelines on the management of schizophrenia. However, NIMHE, through its development centres, provides practical support to national health service trusts in reviewing their service provision for all those with mental ill health, and support to implement national guidance including that developed by NICE.

School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the Five-a-Day programme.

Melanie Johnson: A NOP World survey of the national school fruit scheme was published in October 2003. The NOP World survey found that over a quarter of children and their families were eating more fruit at home after joining the scheme, rising to nearly a third in social class C2DE. In addition, nearly half of all parents thought the scheme has made them more aware of the importance of fruit for a healthy diet. A full evaluation report of the impact of the school fruit and vegetable scheme on children's diet from the Big Lottery Fund will be published in 2005.
	A full evaluation of the 5 A DAY community initiatives will be completed by December 2005. Evaluation of the five pilot community initiatives reported an increased intake of one portion per day among those groups with the lowest intakes. The 5 A DAY communications programme aims to influence attitudes towards awareness of 5 A DAY, which are monitored by an annual consumer tracking study commissioned by the Department, next due to be carried out this month. It is also monitored by the Food Standards Agency's consumer attitudes survey, which reported an increase in awareness of the 5 A DAY message from 52 per cent., in 2002 to 59 per cent., in 2003. Results for 2004 are due soon.

Social Workers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of social workers had registered with the General Social Care Council by 1 December.

Stephen Ladyman: The General Social Care Council (GSCC) has received 44,435 applications as at 1 December 2004. Recent estimates show that this figure has exceeded 50,000 as at 9 December. Further forms are expected before the GSCC's cut-off date for receiving applications. Accurate data on the number of people in social work positions is yet not available as such data has not been routinely collected for all sectors in which social workers are based. One purpose of the register is to provide that information for workforce planning and other purposes.
	5,700 social workers have been registered to date. The rate of registration is expected to increase significantly in December 2004 when new simplified processes take effect. The GSCC has plans in place to process all applications to register, by 1 April 2005 when protection of the title 'social worker' comes into force.

Sunbeds

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to warn people of the danger of excessive use of sunbeds.

Melanie Johnson: There is no conclusive direct evidence that sunbed exposure causes skin cancer from either of the recent reports on the effects of ultra violet radiation (UVR) from the National Radiological Protection Board and from the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation Protection. The greatest source of UVR exposure is from the sun.
	At the request of Ministers, the SunSmart campaign, which is funded by United Kingdom health Departments, is actively disseminating key messages regarding the dangers of sunbeds. The SunSmart website, at www.sunsmart.org.uk, has a dedicated section on the dangers of sunbed use under the 'stay safe' section. This section includes information on who we recommend should never use a sunbed, which includes people who; are under 16, have fair or freckly skin, burn easily, have a lot of moles, have had skin cancer in the past, have a family history of skin cancer, are using medication that increases sensitivity to UVR.
	An expert group, coordinated by Cancer Research UK, is working with the sunbed association in reviewing information they provide in salons, the positioning of such materials and training materials for their staff.

Wandsworth Primary Care Trust

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget was granted to Wandsworth Primary Care Trust in each of the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department allocates revenue funding to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. The latest round of allocations were announced in December 2002. Wandsworth PCT's share of the available resources are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Allocation (£ million) 
		
		
			 2003–04 275.8 
			 2004–05 303.1 
			 2005–06 332.2 
		
	
	Prior to 2003–04, allocations to PCTs were made by health authorities.

Working Time Directive (Junior Doctors)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what implications the European Working Time Directive will have for the working patterns of junior doctors in the UK.

John Hutton: holding answer 9 December 2004
	Implementation of the working time directive (WTD) for doctors in training is a matter for individual trusts. To help the national health service to achieve compliance we have supported a national programme of WTD pilots, which effectively contributed to the extensive innovative solutions now in place and which continue to be developed.